Madagascar 2: True Colors
by MartyCessna
Summary: Marty stumbles upon a potentially dangerous secret while trying to help Alex, and sets more crazy events in motion.The Zoosters must learn to see the true colors of places and friends before they lose each other forever. Complete, tell me what you think!
1. Morning on Madagascar

I don't own Madagascar or the characters in the movie Madagascar. The only characters I own are the ones that aren't in the movie.By the way, this story is entirely fictional. The song, "New York, New York" was written by Fred Ebb and John Kander, not by me.

* * *

Madagascar 2

A beautiful sunset filled the sky over a leafy jungle. A sparkling blue lake sat as invitingly still as a mirror in a grassy clearing. Four magnificent animals gracefully swung on vines through the picturesque scene: a lion, a zebra, a hippo, and a giraffe. Their Tarzan yells echoed throughout the exotic forest, only adding to the amazing, diverse jungle sounds. The animals dropped smoothly to the ground and began running through the grassy clearing, not a care in the world. They were free.

_Suddenly, they were surrounded! Dancing policemen with striped tails came at the animals from all sides. The jungle trees fell down, revealing skyscrapers! The sounds of horns, sirens, and car accidents shattered the natural peacefulness. The pond became a mural. Out of the ground, a 20-foot steel wall topped with razor wire arose and separated the zebra from the other animals. A policeman yelled at the zebra, _

"_This is what happens to animals who bite the hand! Hahahahahaha!" the policeman cackled evilly. The other policemen danced a circle around the outside of the wall, chanting "You bit the hand! You bit the hand! You bit the hand!"_

_The other animals called from outside the steel enclosure as the zebra galloped frantically around the pen. _

"_Marty! Marty!"_

"Marty! Wake up! You're beating me to a pulp!" a voice said.

Marty the zebra jolted up from his hammock in a hut on the sandy beach of Madagascar. He lost his balance; the hammock flipped. Marty fell face-down into the sand. It was the middle of the night. The zebra stopped his legs from kicking wildly, and then looked questioningly up at the owner of the voice. Alex the lion stared back at his best friend, a concerned look on his face. He stood just out of reach of Marty's hooves.

Marty spit sand out of his mouth and looked a bit sheepish, "Sorry 'bout that, Alex! Man, what a nightmare!" The zebra shook his head, trying to clear his brain of dancing policemen.

Alex sighed, "The rabid mouse one again?"

"No, not this time," Marty frowned, "Actually, I've never had this one before. This one was about New York."

"New York? Uh, Marty, we're _from_ New York. New Yorkers aren't supposed to have nightmares about New York!" Alex looked bothered.

"Yeah? Try explaining that to the policemen." Marty stood up and walked to his "kitchen", actually just a bar counter with storage room.

Alex frowned, "Policemen? What policemen?"

"The ones in the nightmare." Marty explained as he poured himself a coconut of pineapple juice and took a stick of seaweed off a shelf.

The lion shook his head, "Marty, maybe you need a hobby."

"Huh?" the zebra looked up from his midnight snack, "What do you mean?"

"Well," Alex gestured to his surroundings, "there's nothing to worry about here. The island is a safe place to live."

"Thanks to you," Marty pointed out kindly, "but I don't see how that's a problem."

"Maybe safe is boring. Maybe your mind is inventing worries." Alex cocked his maned head, "Maybe you need something to occupy that empty New York place in your mind! Yeah! That's it! You need something that will push those nightmares right out of your head!" Alex was getting excited, as he often did right after waking up.

"Really?" Marty looked hopeful, "Like what?"

Alex's whiskers fell. He hadn't thought that far ahead yet, "Oh, well…um…"

"How 'bout a girl?"

The two best friends turned in surprise to see King Julien XIII, the self proclaimed Lord of the Lemurs of Madagascar, standing just inside the door to the hut.

King Julien smiled slyly, "Nothing like a woman to get your mind off whatever it is sitting on!"

Marty snorted, "Where am I going to get a girl around here? This isn't exactly a hot spot for zebra women." Marty looked a bit disappointed, "I guess I'll have to come up with something else to distract myself with." The striped equine sighed and stared into his drink.

"Don't worry, Marty!" Alex grinned, wanting to cheer up his best friend, "I'm sure you'll come up with something! Hey, make a wish; see what happens!"

Marty grinned hopefully, "You think that'd work?"

"Who knows?" Alex shrugged, reclining on one of Marty's sand couches, "It got you here, didn't it?"

"Yeah, you're right!" Marty looked thoughtfully around at his hut.

Julien took the sudden silence as his cue to leave.

"Well, my time is over for spying on you, Freaks. I'm wishing you a good night and must bidding you goodbyes." With that, King Julien hopped off into the jungle.

Alex closed his eyes, suddenly feeling very sleepy. He lay comfortably on the sand couch.

"New York," he mumbled, nearly asleep.

"Hey, Alex." Marty said suddenly, waking the lion for the second time that night.

"Huh, what?" Alex sleepily asked.

Marty stole a glance at his friend, "Do you…still want to go back? To New York?"

Alex opened an eye, "No! Well, not really. Sorta…maybe." The big cat yawned, "Why do you ask? It's not as though we really have a choice."

"I know, but if you _could, _would you go back?" Marty asked.

Alex, former "king" of New York, thought for a while.

"Yeah, I would. I mean, this place is great, but New York is really…home." Alex closed his eye again and muttered playfully "Now please go to sleep, you nocturnal zebra!"

Marty nodded, then stretched and put away his coconut cup.

"Night, Ally-Al." Marty said, righting his overturned hammock.

"Night." Alex mumbled right before drifting off into deep lion sleep.

Still awake, Marty sighed. He pulled a lever and a panel on his hut's roof opened, revealing a magnificent view of the stars. The zebra crawled into bed and stared up at the night's sky over Madagascar.

* * *

Alex awoke the next morning peppy and full of life. He'd had a great dream about fish falling from the sky, he'd slept well, and he hardly remembered Marty waking him up in the middle of the night! The New York lion bounced out of bed and did a few wake-up handsprings, cartwheels, and back flips. Then he noticed Marty's empty hammock.

_Hmm, where'd he go off to?_ Alex wondered, _Probably went to see what Gloria and Melman are having for breakfast. You know, I think I'll join them! _Alex grabbed a melon from a basket on Marty's counter for Gloria and tucked a fish under his arm for _his _breakfast. Then he headed down the beach to Gloria's beach house.

Gloria's house was made from sand and rocks. It was large and round. Melman's tall and narrow cottage sat beside it.

Marty had been working hard to help his friends feel more comfortable on Madagascar. The zebra had designed and (with his friends' help) constructed the two new huts for Gloria and Melman. He'd even built Melman an MRI-shaped bed! Marty said that he was working on designs for a very special house for Alex, but he wasn't ready to start building yet. Not that Alex minded sharing Marty's luxurious cabana hut, but it would be nice to have his own space again.

Alex knocked on Gloria's door, actually a very large sea turtle shell that Melman had found by accident. The door opened and there was Gloria, a leafy towel wrapped around her head like a turban.

"Alex! Come on in, honey, I was just getting ready to try out my new Jacuzzi tub! Marty installed it yesterday. Isn't it fantastic?" Gloria smiled at Alex, who stepped through the doorway into the round hut. Indeed, there was a Jacuzzi tub in the center of the floor, complete with bubbles!

"Wow!" Alex was impressed. Bubbling water ran to the large tub from a channel through the wall. A lever controlled the amount of water that ran into the tub. Marty had really done a lot of work!

"Oh, this is for you." Alex suddenly remembered the melon, and handed it to Gloria.

The pretty hippo was very pleased with her melon.

"Oh, thank you! That's so thoughtful!" Gloria placed it on a platter full of melons, much to Alex's chagrin, "You will stay for breakfast, right?"

"Oh…yeah. Yes. Thank you, I'll stay. Uh, where's Melman and Marty?" Alex's tail twitched as the smell of his fish wafted past his nose.

"Melman's probably still asleep next door." Gloria blinked, "I thought you were staying with Marty."

"I was…_am,_ but Marty wasn't there this morning when I got up. I assumed that he came to visit you." Alex frowned, suddenly a little nervous.

Gloria nodded, then smiled at the lion, "Aw, don't worry about him. He's probably just gone off to work on that house he promised you, and wanted to keep it a secret."

Alex didn't look convinced, but he nodded anyway.

"The one you _should_ worry about," Gloria continued, "is Melman. I suppose it's time he got up"

Alex smiled wryly and followed Gloria next door to Melman's tall hut. There were long pieces of dried kelp in place of a door (to provide ventilation). The hippo and lion walked in.

They were greeted by wall upon wall of coconut jars. Each jar was labeled with the name of a medicinal herb or plant. In the center of the room, Melman slept on his unusual bed. All that was visible of the hypochondriac giraffe were his legs. Melman's head and long neck were inside of a dark tunnel built into the bed. Soft snoring came from somewhere inside of the tunnel.

"Melman? Melman! Wake up! Want some breakfast?" Alex called to his sleeping friend.

A moan came from the MRI bed. One of the four long legs stirred.

"Melman, come on, you can't sleep forever." Gloria patted the legs slightly roughly.

Finally, Melman's nose appeared from the hole. "Ugh, Gloria! It's only two in the morning!" Melman cried.

"The sun's up!" Alex pointed out.

"Melman," Gloria sighed, "You've got a serious case of boat lag."

This woke Melman up.

"Boat lag? Oh NO! Where? Where? I've never heard of that! Is there a cure? Is it…OW!" Melman panicked, thrashing dramatically about in his bed and banging his head into the MRI.

Alex shook his head as Gloria tried to calm the neurotic giraffe.

"Take it easy, Melman. It just means that you're still operating on New York time, that's all," Gloria explained.

Melman's legs stopped tangling themselves up, "Really? Oh, ok. Why didn't you just say so?"

"Melman, how about some breakfast?" Gloria asked the giraffe.

Melman pulled his neck out of the MRI and sat up in bed. He grinned, "Sure, Gloria, sounds good. Do you have any Aspirin?" Melman rubbed his head, yawned, and followed Alex and Gloria outside.

Gloria sighed and muttered, "It's a good thing Marty finished that Jacuzzi. I get the feeling I am going to need to do some serious relaxing today."

"Hey, where _is_ Marty?" Melman was now fully alert and awake. He looked around. Normally, their striped friend wasn't far enough away for Melman not to see him.

Alex's smile sank back into a concerned frown, "We don't know for sure."

"Like I said, don't worry about him! I'm sure he's just fine!" Gloria comforted the worried lion.

"It's an island," Melman added, "Where can he go?"

Alex just sat down and looked miserable. He had a bad feeling about this.

Melman, meanwhile, was busy confronting a challenge of his own. He danced around, trying to rub sunscreen onto his back. "Can someone help me? There's this one spot I just can't reach…"

* * *

Marty sucked in another breath of fresh air. He never got tired of the smells of the jungle!

_Sure beats gasoline and garbage!_ Marty thought.

The adventuresome zebra had risen early. Alex's comments about New York were still on the zebra's mind. Marty wanted to help Alex somehow, and thought that maybe he could find some way back to New York if he searched hard enough. Alex had still been asleep. Rather than wake the high-strung lion a _third _time, Marty had opted to go by himself. His walk (which had quickly become a run) had taken him to a part of the island that he'd never been to before. It was exciting, fresh, new, and a little terrifying to be out exploring alone.

_Wish Alex could be here! This is great!_ Marty passed a dead tree stump. Feeling energetic, he dodged a couple of bushy fern things and leapt over a large fallen vine. It wasn't as much fun as galloping across a grassy clearing, but it was still exhilarating! He loved the feel of real wild dirt under his feet as his hooves beat out a steady rhythm on the island's floor. He enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and bright colors of Madagascar's beach-lined jungle. Every so often, Marty caught glimpses of the blue ocean and white sandy beach. Yes, this place was paradise! And for Marty, it was home.

_It's too bad Alex doesn't see this place like I do, _Marty thought, _but at least he's more or less accepted it. When we first arrived here a couple of weeks ago…_Marty shook his head, remembering the…eventful first few days on Madagascar.

_I am so glad _that's _over! _Marty thought happily.

Suddenly, the zebra halted his jungle romp. The woods were getting much darker.

_That's strange, it's still morning! I haven't been out here _that _long! _Marty started to get uncomfortable, _I think I should go find Alex…_

Marty whirled around and took off back the way he'd come. He ran on and on into the woods. After a long time, he noticed some hoofprints crossing his intended path. Surprised, Marty stopped and placed a hoof into one.

_Hey, this guy's feet are the same size as mine! And the same shape! And…uh oh. These are _my _hoofprints! I passed that dead tree at least an hour ago! Which means I need to go…this way. No! This way…Um, maybe not…this way! Uh oh. Uh…_

Marty's ears flicked frantically this back and forth as the zebra tried to find the way back to the huts on the beach. He couldn't even see the beach through the trees. For the first time, he realized that he didn't know just how large Madagascar was.

"I am _not_ going to panic!" Marty told himself, "I am going to go straight in one direction, and sooner or later there'll be a beach! This is an island. I can't get too lost on an island! Yeah." Marty strode through the dense underbrush, "I'll find the beach, and follow it back!" He set off, following no particular path and hoping it was the right one.

It wasn't long before Marty noticed how dark the woods were getting. They were getting even darker and thicker than before. They no longer seemed like paradise. Instead, they reminded the zebra of the predator side of the island…dark and foreboding. Suddenly Marty felt very nervous.

"Alex?" Marty called, hoping that maybe the lion was within earshot. After all, being a lion, Alex had excellent hearing. It's hard to keep a secret from Alex!

A new smell met Marty's nostrils. A familiar smell, one he'd smelled many, many times; yet one that strangely seemed terrifying.

Marty smelled people.

"Huh? Man, that can't be right! There aren't people here! Are there?" Marty sniffed. Yep, no doubt about it. That smell was unmistakable.

Ignoring the seemingly senseless urge to run away from the smell, Marty headed toward it. His legs shook a little more with every step.

_What is wrong with me? It's just people! I'm from New York for crying out loud! I've been around people for my whole life! Why do I want to run away so bad? Besides, maybe they can help us get back to New York. I know Alex still wants to go back. And I really just want him to be happy…but people…_

The confused zebra shook his head and continued to move towards the people smell. Wouldn't Alex be excited to hear that there were people on the island! Marty grinned, thinking about his best friend.

All alone, Marty followed the smell, unaware of what lay ahead…


	2. Secret in the Jungle

Alex had been pacing the beach so long that he'd worn a trench in the sand. The lion was only visible from the waist up. Back and forth, back and forth he went. Melman had fallen asleep watching him.

"Alex, for crying out loud, quit worrying and find something else to do!" Gloria called out to the lion.

Alex looked up briefly, and then resumed his pacing. "Glo, it's not like Marty to just disappear like this!" Alex rethought what he said, "Well, I mean, he hasn't done it for a long time!" Alex cried.

Gloria walked over to the trench and looked down at the lion. "I'm sure he's just gotten busy with some project in the jungle and lost track of time! You know how he gets sometimes."

The big cat stopped pacing and looked up at Gloria, his blue eyes worried and miserable, "It's been hours…_hours _since lunch. Marty _never _misses lunch. It's his favorite meal!" Alex jumped up and sat on the edge of the trench, staring into it, "What if something's happened to him? What if he got lost…or accidentally wandered into fossa territory…oh NO!" Alex leapt to his feet, ready to charge into the jungle to defend his best friend.

"If any ONE of those things has so much as LOOKED AT Marty, I'll…" Alex punched his paws menacingly, growling.

Gloria placed a hippo hand comfortingly on Alex's shoulder, "Cool it, Alex. Remember, we don't know what happened. Maybe we should go look for Marty. Probably, he's just down the beach and perfectly fine, and will be annoyed with us for disturbing his building."

Alex looked at Gloria, fear in his eyes. Fear of all the things that could happen to a zebra in the wild. Marty was vulnerable, and Alex was fully aware of it. He saw that Gloria wasn't entirely sure of her words, either. She too was worried. She was just trying to make Alex feel better. Still, he desperately hoped that she was right.

"Okay."

Gloria turned to Melman, whose mental clock still hadn't straightened out to Madagascar time. "Melman, come on, we've got to go find Marty!"

"Again?" Melman yawned.

"Again," Gloria looked determined, "And we _will _find him," she added for Alex.

Melman stood shakily to his feet, "What was in those mangos? I feel sooo strange."

"Can you feel strange later?" Alex asked him, "We've got an emergency on our hands right now!"

Gloria gave him a "don't overreact" look.

Alex cleared his throat, "We _might _have an emergency on our hands." He corrected.

Melman nodded seriously, "Ok, then. Let's go!"

Alex and Gloria exchanged looks. Melman _must _be feeling weird!

"All right, Alex? You see the best in the dark, why don't you lead the way?" Gloria suggested. Alex was only too happy to accept.

The trio headed out to find their missing friend.

* * *

It was dark. It was cold. It was quiet. It was lonely.

One striped figure moved forlornly through the now silent exotic jungle. Marty guessed from the absence of noise that it was now evening on Madagascar, though the trees were so thick that the sunlight (or lack of it) couldn't be seen. Contrary to his friend's jokes, Marty wasn't really nocturnal.

He wasn't scared of the dark, he just didn't get along with the local creatures of the night.

Marty was tired and lonely as he trudged through the thick vines and bushes in the dark jungle. He wanted to go home. He'd been following the human smell for hours. Though it had gotten somewhat stronger, he had yet to see a single person.

He missed Alex. _Why did I go so far away from them? _Marty thought with regret, _I should've brought Alex. He'd have known what to do…or at least pretended to. And it's a lot more fun to be lost with Alex than to be lost alone. _

A bush rustled near Marty. "Ahh!" The zebra jumped straight into the air and karate chopped the bush. A very surprised and sleepy rodent dashed out.

Marty chuckled at himself. "Look at me! Scared by a ground squirrel! Man, Alex shoulda seen that one!"

Then Marty caught sight of movement beyond the trees. It looked like an animal…larger than a rodent…about as large as Marty! A big dark…_thing_. Marty quickly ducked into a large bush to avoid being seen by the creature. One thing he'd learned about the wild; look first, make introductions later!

Curious, Marty snuck closer to the movement. He inched his way through the brambles, closer and closer. The forest thinned out. Before he knew it, Marty was hiding at the edge of the jungle! He saw a beach!

Excited, Marty nearly leapt up to dance with joy. Then he remembered the largish animal and decided against loudly announcing his presence. He instead turned to study the animal.

It stood on a rock outcropping on the shoreline. Waves crashed on the rock, highlighted by the full moon, creating a spectacular backdrop for the four-legged animal.

Marty looked more closely at the creature. It had hooves! It also had a long mane that drooped over its neck on one side. The animal swished its silky, full tail of long hairs. It turned sideways, and Marty gasped. It was a horse!

A _girl _horse.

A very _pretty _girl horse.

She tossed her head and stood proudly, moonlight casting shadows on her black coat and bouncing off the ocean waves. The wind blew her dark mane, and Marty thought he caught a glimpse of a silver sparkle.

Awed, Marty relaxed to watch the show of light, water, and motion.

Just at that moment, the horse stepped down from the rock and began walking down the beach.

Marty followed her at a distance.

Unknown to her, the two of them walked down the beach together. They passed sparkling lagoons, spectacular waterfalls, and breathtaking canyons; all of them lit dramatically by the moonlight.

Marty was star struck. He followed the prancing mare across the sandy beach as if in a dream, hardly aware of where he was going or what he was doing.

Suddenly, she stopped, whirled around, and yelled into the darkness, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

Marty, who had no time to hide, froze. "Uh," he tried to come up with something convincing to say.

The horse beat him to it.

"Hey, you're a horse of a different color!" she remarked, noticing Marty's stripes. She skeptically looked the zebra over.

Marty blinked, "Oh, I'm not a horse! Actually, I'm a zebra!"

The black mare's eyes widened, "Are you…wild?"

"Yeah, you could say that!" Marty grinned.

"Um," the mare backed away uncertainly, "where's your herd?"

Marty looked confused, "Herd?"

The mare nodded, "The people say that all wild zebras travel in herds. You know…stallion, mares, a few foals…a herd!"

"I don't have a herd, I guess," Marty shrugged, "but I have my best friends! We're usually together but today I…wait, wait, wait. Did you say _people_?"

"Yes, I did say people. Don't worry, they never come this far onto the island." The mare blinked at Marty, "I'm Cora, what's your name?"

"My name's Marty, and actually, my friends and I are looking for some people." Marty grinned at the horse, "See, we were kinda shipwrecked here and we'd like to get back home."

Cora's eyes almost went mischievious, "Ahh, so you're not so wild after all. What makes you think the people will take you home? They don't exactly speak our language, you know."

"Uh," Marty thought for a while. This had not occurred to him or his friends. "I don't know, but we'd come up with something. Can you show us where the people are?"

Cora frowned, "I don't know, they don't like to be interrupted…"

"Aw, c'mon," Marty smiled, "Please?"

Cora narrowed her eyes at the zebra.

"Okay, but you've got to promise to stay close. It's easy to get lost on this island." Cora led the way.

Marty followed, "No kidding," he muttered.

Marty and Cora passed more sparkling lagoons, spectacular waterfalls, and breathtaking canyons. Then she turned and went into the woods. Marty followed her, somewhat hesitantly.

"It's not far now," Cora looked back at Marty. Marty nodded. He could smell that scent from the beach. It was getting stronger. More and more, he was feeling illogically like he should avoid this place and run the other way.

Finally, Cora stopped. Marty stopped, too. They peeked through a clearing and Cora again looked at Marty, "There they are!"

Marty squinted. In the moonlight, he could see a circle of five canvas tents pitched on a grassy hill. A campfire lit the center of the circle, with several humans sitting around it. To the side of the encampment, a coarse wooden corral stood empty. Beyond the hill, a large fishing boat waited in a lagoon.

The zebra hadn't felt so confused in his life. Part of him wanted to run up and ask the people when the next boat to New York departed. The other part of him desperately wanted him to run for his life.

"Are you okay?" Cora asked, looking worried.

Marty tried to smile, "Yeah, sure, I'm fine! Why do you ask?"

Cora pointed to Marty's legs, "You're shaking like crazy, and your ears are all flat."

"Oh." Marty hadn't noticed his ears. He tried to wiggle them up and hold his legs still. It didn't work, so he decided to ignore it.

"It's nothing. Can we meet these people?" Marty asked the mare.

Cora didn't look any less concerned, but she glanced toward the human camp, "Um, well…I really don't think that's a good idea…"

Marty smiled shakily at the horse. The human smell was all around him, smothering him. But he tried to ignore it. "I'm fine, really. What's wrong?"

Cora looked down. Should she tell him? Tell him what the humans were really there for?

The way he was shaking, Cora decided against it. She didn't want him to collapse!

"I think maybe you should come back in the morning. They…don't like to have visitors at night." Cora winced for reasons unknown to Marty.

The wind suddenly blew a gust of people smell at Marty and Cora. It overwhelmed his nostrils, causing him to sneeze. Cora looked alarmed.

"Sorry," Marty snatched a leaf and blew his nose on it.

Cora glanced toward camp. Sure enough, one of the people had stood up and was looking into the woods.

"Shh!" Cora shushed the zebra. She ducked down into a bush. A bit startled, Marty ducked down with her.

"Why are we hiding?" he asked.

Cora's eyes were big and horrified, "You really don't want to know!"

The human lifted something long and skinny up. Another human called out, "Be careful, that could be whatever got the horse!" The first human nodded.

Cora gasped, "He's got a gun!"

At that moment, the man boomed like a car accident at close range. Something whizzed over Marty's head. His legs moved beyond his control, pushing him up and carrying him away from the human camp.

"Marty!" Cora's voice sounded far away. Marty blinked at the jungle whizzing by. He'd had no idea he could run this fast!

"I'm sorry!" Marty called back, but he was pretty sure she couldn't hear him. He suddenly felt sand under his churning hooves. The beach! He was finally able to stop, so he did. He didn't recognize this part of the beach.

Marty sighed, "Man, that was smooth, Marty. Real smooth. Now I'm alone again, and I still don't know where home is."

Marty looked left, then he looked right. He decided to go left, back the way he'd come. As far as he could figure.

Marty thought, _if I follow the beach, I should find the huts eventually!_

Alone once again, Marty plodded tiredly down the sandy, moonlit beach.

* * *

Alex ran as quickly as he could through the jungle. He was followed by Melman and Gloria.

"Marty! Marty? MARTY!" he called, trying to follow the hoofprint trail he'd found earlier. It was leading deeper and deeper into the jungle. Alex's heart was getting heavier and heavier.

"Alex, slow down!" Gloria puffed, having a hard time keeping up with the agile lion in the dense undergrowth. Melman "ow"ed and "ouch"ed his way behind her.

Alex reluctantly slowed down and stopped. He looked down at the hoofprints.

"It doesn't make any sense!" Alex cried, "Why would he come all the way in here?"

"We can ask him," Gloria said, "when we find him."

"The prints up there cross each other!" Melman lifted his head up to see better.

Gloria groaned, "Oh, no!"

Alex leapt to where the prints crossed Marty's trail. He sniffed them. "They're Marty's!"

"Which way are they headed?" asked Gloria.

Alex's night vision gave him the answer.

"This way!" he pointed, "They're headed back out of the jungle!"

Melman sighed, "Thank goodness!"

The three animals followed the trail. It went straight for a while, then it turned and went behind a bush. Then behind a tree. Then behind a log. Then behind a boulder.

Alex followed it every step of the way while Melman and Gloria watched.

"Alex, now what is he doing?" Gloria shook her head, baffled by the odd trail.

Alex looked thoughtful, "He's…sneaking up on something."

"Look! The beach!" Melman cried.

"Marty found the beach!" Gloria smiled, "I'll bet he figured that if he found the beach, he'd be able to find his way home!"

"Good for you, Marty." Melman said emphatically.

Alex grinned, thinking about his best friend. Then he frowned.

"Uh, guys? Now which way did he go?"

The tracks ended in the sand.


	3. Nightmare

Marty hummed a song as he walked. _Maybe there's something to that wild zebra herd thing, _he wondered, _at least in a herd, no one would be alone. _He was cold, hungry, and once again, lonely. But he wouldn't let that get him down!

The zebra could see the familiar rock outcropping ahead. He picked up the pace slightly, eager to discover what was beyond it…hopefully his warm hut, food, and friends! Unseen glowing eyes tracked his every movement as he approached the outcropping. Marty trotted past the rock, happy to leave it behind.

Suddenly, he was thrown to the ground by a large hairy weight!

"Ahhhhhh! Heeelp!" yelled the startled zebra. Marty struggled, kicking and shoving the weight away.

"Marty! Marty! Calm down, it's me! It's Alex!" the weight said.

Marty looked up at his friend's big glowing night-eyes and jungle-frazzled mane. The lion had a crazy look on his face.

"Ahhhhhh!" Marty yelled again.

"Marty, it's ok! You're safe now!" Gloria's voice said from somewhere behind Alex.

Marty blinked. Alex helped him to his feet.

"Are you all right?" Alex asked.

Marty brushed himself off, "You mean aside from the heart attack you just gave me? Yeah, I'm fine!" the zebra glared, pretending to be annoyed at his predatory friend, "What's wrong with you, anyway? You should know better than to tackle me in the dark when I'm all alone!"

Alex shrugged defensively, "Hey, I didn't want to lose you again!" Alex's face switched emotions, "You know, we've been looking for you for hours, Marty! I thought something had happened to you!"

"You had us all worried sick!" Gloria told the zebra.

"Yeah!" Melman agreed wholeheartedly.

Marty's legs still shook from adrenaline, "I'm sorry, guys! It's not like I _wanted _to get lost. But I…"

Alex interrupted, "Every time you run off, you get into trouble! Someday, it might not be _me_ who tackles you! That scares me, Marty! You're my best friend! Don't you ever, and I mean _ever _do that again! Do you hear me?" Alex grabbed Marty around the neck, "Do you hear me?"

"Yes!" gasped Marty, "I do…I won't…I…can't…breathe!"

Alex released his hold on Marty, "Sorry."

"The important thing now is that we're all here, safe, and together." Gloria pointed out, "And now we can go home."

Marty rubbed his neck where Alex had grabbed it, "Sounds good to me! Man, that sounds _really _good to me!"

Reunited at last, the foursome headed down the beach in the direction Marty had been going.

* * *

"So, then what happened?" Alex asked. The four New Yorkers had been walking down the beach for quite a while. Marty had been telling them all about the day's adventure. They were tired from walking all over the island, Marty especially. He'd just gotten to the part where the mare had run off when he stopped talking mid-sentence.

Alex looked closely at his sleepy striped friend, "Marty?"

The zebra was still walking, but his eyes were closed. He didn't answer Alex. A very quiet snore came from Marty.

Alex shook his head in disbelief, "He's sleepwalking!"

"Aren't we all?" Gloria replied tiredly. Behind her, Melman's eyelids drooped.

"Lack of sleep isn't good for my immune system." Melman mumbled.

Gloria glanced back at him tiredly, "Melman, you don't _have_ an immune system."

Melman glared into the darkness, "How do you know?"

Marty snored.

Alex shook his head, "Come on, guys! It can't be much farther down the beach!"

"Um, Alex, I can_ see_ 'much farther down the beach.' We are a long ways from home, and we're all tired." Gloria reasoned with the lion.

Marty veered off and ran into a rock. He collapsed.

"Scratch that," Gloria corrected, "we're all _exhausted_. We'd better stop and get some rest."

Alex frowned. He looked at the sleeping Marty-heap; chronically yawning Melman; and the edgy, worn-out Gloria.

The lion sighed, "Okay, you're right."

"And if home _is _just out of sight, we'll be there in the morning." Gloria sighed, trying to find a comfortable spot near Marty's rock. Melman flopped down and instantly fell asleep.

Alex looked at the horizon. Beyond it lay, hopefully, the huts and his bucket of fish! _Uh, oh,_ thought Alex, _I'm thinking about food! _

He decided to sleep about thirty feet from his friends, just in case he dreamed about sushi.

Then he fell asleep.

* * *

_Alex awoke on the warm, sandy beach. There was sand in his ears, nostrils, and mouth. His mane was full of it. The lion stood and brushed himself off. His nose caught the scent of something delicious! Steak? No, better than steak…fish!_

_Penguins flew past him, flapping their wings and chanting, "Fish. Fish. Fish. Fish." Rico dangled a shiny fish in front of Alex. Hungrily, Alex grabbed the fish and shoved it into his mouth. It turned to sand. Alex spat out the sand and then blinked at the horizon. _

_"Home is just out of sight, Alex! Let's go!" Gloria smiled at Alex. Together, Gloria, Alex, and Melman raced towards the horizon in slow motion. Marty tried valiantly to keep up. _

_Alex attempted to slow down so that Marty could catch up, but he couldn't. Marty got further and further behind. Alex saw his friend point at something. Alex glanced up. _

_On the horizon was…the New York skyline! Alex would've recognized it anywhere! With a happy roar, Alex leapt ahead full speed. _

_"Alex?" _

_The big cat heard Marty's call and stopped. _

_"We're almost there, Marty! We're almost home!" Alex cried joyfully to his best buddy. _

_For some reason, Marty looked sad, "Alex! I want to go with you! Don't leave me!" _

_Alex grabbed Marty's hoof and pulled the zebra along. A sandstorm appeared behind them, trying to swirl Marty away! Alex held on as tight as he could. _

_Melman and Gloria stood on the Brooklyn Bridge, yelling something about Marty and sand. _

_Alex and Marty were almost to New York! Alex pulled with all of the strength he had. He looked into Marty's terrified face. Marty looked back at Alex, "Alex, I can't…" _

_"We're gonna make it, Marty!" Alex told his best friend. _

_"Alex!" Marty cried. _

_The hoof that Alex held so tightly turned to sand just as Alex reached New York. _

_"Marty! No!" Alex yelled into the sandstorm. He thought he heard Marty say something back. He reached into the swirling sand. _

_But the zebra was gone. _

_"Marty!" _

"Marty! Marty!" Alex yelled, spitting sand from his mouth.

"What is it, Alex? I'm right here! You don't have to wake up the whole island!"

Alex blinked sand from his eyelids, "Hi."

Marty stared perplexedly back at Alex, "Hi."

"Ahh!" Alex yelled up at Marty. He leapt up and hugged the surprised zebra, "You're okay! You're alright!" Alex danced around, letting go of Marty. Then he looked his friend straight in the eye and asked seriously, "You're not sand?"

"No," Marty said, still confused, "should I be?"

"NO! Definitely not! I…ah…this is real?" Alex stopped dancing and patted the ground with his big paws.

Marty raised an eyebrow, "As far as I know."

"Ahem," Alex cleared his throat, "then that never happened."

"Whatever you say," Marty shrugged, "you sure you're okay? You're acting a little…weird."

Alex looked up at Marty, "Weird? No, no, I'm fine, really! I'm just a little hungry is all. What's for breakfast?"

Marty's eyes widened, "I sure hope you know how to fish." He pointed at a small tide pool. Shiny fish swam in it.

"Melman and I tried to catch some for you, but we just don't have the right…equipment." Marty held up his hooves. Alex was relieved to see that they didn't turn to sand. The lion shook himself.

"Thanks for trying, Marty." Alex smiled.

Marty grinned back, "No problem!"

Alex walked up to the pool of fish and looked in. _Hard to believe that something so alive can taste so good! _Alex thought. He dipped a squarish toe into the water. He promptly pulled it out. He tried again. A fish swam innocently near Alex's paw. The lion waited until the fish was almost touching him. He closed his eyes, grabbed, and yanked…a weed out of the water.

"What?" Alex shook the weed off his paw, "I don't get it! That was supposed to work!"

Gloria called out from a large pile of fresh fruit, "Use your claws!"

"My claws?" Alex looked at his paws. He hated to use his claws. They made him feel savage…like a killer! Something dawned on him.

"Wait a minute, hold on there. I have to _kill _the fish?" Alex winced, "I'm not a killer! I've never killed anything! Never!"

Gloria stood up and looked the lion in the eye, "Alex, honey, unless you wanna swallow a live fish, you'd better figure out how to kill one."

"But I don't want to _kill_! I'm not a murderer! Am I Marty?" Alex turned to his friend.

"No way, Alex!" Marty mixed his grassy salad. He hadn't heard the conversation until now, "You're my friend! My sometimes-a-little-weird-friend…" the zebra shook his head, "but no murderer!"

"Marty, you're not helping!" Gloria cried frustratedly.

"If he gets hungry enough, he could become one," Melman pointed out, "We've seen it happen."

"Don't remind me!" Alex put his paws to his head, "Again, I am _really _sorry about that, Marty!"

"Ancient history, man! That was a long time ago! Don't even worry about it!" Marty smiled and took a bite of his salad.

Gloria looked pointedly at the fish pool, "Yeah, and let's keep it that way."

Alex sighed, "You're right, guys. I'll try again."

An unproductive hour later, Alex stood up and began walking down the beach.

"Hey, Al!" Marty called, "Where are you going?"

"Hunting," answered the hungry lion.

* * *

Alex's tummy growled as he loped off. If nothing else, he was getting away from his friends. Hungry as he was, that was a good thing. It was true that two weeks ago, he'd been hungry for several _days_ before he'd tried to eat his friends…but he wasn't taking any chances now!

The lion ran on the wet sand, disliking the wet, soggy, grainy feeling between his toes. It was a lot faster than running on dry sand, however. Right now, speed was his priority.

The wind rushing by blew Alex's mane back, increasing his peripheral vision. The lion grinned in spite of his hunger. It was fun to run fast!

_No way could I have done this at the zoo!_ Alex thought, watching the scenery fly by, _What a great show it would've made if I could've! _Alex envisioned crowds lining the beach, shouting his name and flashing pictures as he zoomed past, fast as the wind!

_Except that there aren't any beaches like this in New York City, _thought Alex semi-sadly as the fantasy faded. _Besides, I'll never be able to go back, anyway. Might as well get used to the anonymity. _

Suddenly, there was a tiny dot on the horizon. As Alex ran, the dot grew larger! And larger…and larger…it was a cone-roofed structure made from large leaves and sturdy bamboo sticks. It was Marty's hut! Alex roared happily and ran even faster. He skidded to a halt outside Marty's door.

Inside, Alex knew, were his fish. His precious bucket of pre-caught, pre-killed, scaly, smelly fish! Alex inhaled deeply. Sure enough, he caught the scent of his breakfast. Alex opened the door. Not pausing to wipe his paws on Marty's "Wild Sweet Wild" mat, Alex dashed inside to his deliciously stinky bucket. He snatched a fish out, tossed it in the air, caught it in his mouth, and gulped it down whole like a wild and naturally talented hunter.

"OW!" Alex grabbed his throat, "Agg! Gak! That fish was too big!" He felt the large lump slide slowly down his throat.

So much for wild and naturally talented.

Alex pulled a smaller fish from the bucket and ate it. Much better. He popped one more in his mouth, leaned back, and savored the taste.

It was hot in the hut. The fish smell had started to conquer the salty sea air.

No problem.

The lion stepped to some levers and pulled the closest one. A board dropped down on ropes. Several sticks with seaweed wrapped around them sat on the board. Alex made a face and pushed the lever back.

He pulled another lever. Part of the roof pulled back to reveal a blue sky. Alex grinned and pulled a third lever. A leafy ceiling fan began to turn and fresh air once again entered the hut. Alex filled his lungs with it and then sighed it out contentedly.

"Marty sure built a great place!" Alex breathed, reclining on a sand couch. He sat up suddenly, "Marty! And Gloria and Melman! They don't know where I went!" Alex cried. He ran out of the hut and searched the horizon, "I wonder if they've caught up with me yet!" The lion saw nothing on the horizon but sand. He slapped his forehead.

"What am I thinking, they were a long way behind me. I'll just have to go back for them." Alex quickly stretched, grabbed a fish for the road, and took off running down the beach.

Alex met his three buddies about three quarters of the way back from where he had left them. Still energetic from his run, Alex danced a hyper lion circle around Gloria, Melman, and Marty.

"Where have you been? We finally decided to come after you!" Gloria demanded, not unkindly.

Alex frowned innocently, "I went to go find myself some fish for breakfast." The lion blinked angelically. He knew Gloria wanted him to learn how to catch and kill his own fish.

Gloria sighed, "Well, did you catch any?"

"Uh, yeah." Alex answered, remembering his not-so-successful catch-in-the-mouth trick.

"Good," the hippo nodded, "now we can concentrate on getting home."

"I can't wait!" sighed Melman, "I ran out of sunscreen, and I'm breaking out! I must have run into something that I'm allergic to yesterday…and look at this…I have two _huge _lumps on my head! See?" Melman pointed at his head.

"Those are your horns, Melman." Marty sighed from the back of the group.

Melman stopped pointing, "Oh." He looked calm for a moment. Then suddenly, he looked worried again and exclaimed, "Oh no! I…I forgot I had horns! What if this is the beginning of some kind of brain disorder…"

While Gloria tried to calm Melman down, Alex stopped dancing to look closely at Marty. The zebra seemed troubled.

"Hey, Marty, what's so bad that it's got _you _down?" Alex sat next to Marty on the sand.

Marty looked distant, "I've been thinking…"

"Really?" Alex feigned surprise.

Marty glared sarcastically, "Ha, ha."

"Sorry," Alex grinned cheerfully, "Go on."

Marty didn't smile, "Well, I've been thinking a lot about New York, and what you said the other night…" Marty began again.

"Huh?" Alex looked confused, "What did I say the other night?"

"You know, about how you'd go back to New York if you had the chance, and how it's home for you," Marty answered.

"Oh," Alex looked guilty, "I said that?"

"Yeah."

"Out loud?"

"Yep."

"To you?"

"You did."

"Oh, boy." Alex sighed a long, deep sigh. He knew it was better _not _to tell something to Marty unless he was completely committed to having it happen sometime in the near future.

Marty's mouth curved up slightly, then drooped again, "Alex, what's wrong with Madagascar? How come you aren't happy here?"

"I am happy here!" Alex replied, trying to sound completely sincere, "With you guys!" He put one paw around Marty's shoulders and gestured towards the jungle with his other paw, "This place is fine, great even, as long as you guys are here with me!"

Marty still didn't look convinced.

"Look, Marty, don't worry about it, okay? I sometimes say weird things when I sleep, you know that!" Alex shrugged.

Finally, Marty grinned, "Man, you _always _say weird things when you sleep!"

Alex nuggied his zebra friend as they laughed and rejoined Gloria and Melman on their trek down the beach.


	4. Best Laid Plans

"Home!" Gloria sighed as she relaxed in her spa. Next door, Melman swallowed the contents of a coconut jar and scooted into his MRI bed.

"Home!" Melman's sighing voice echoed from inside the bed.

Marty reclined in his hammock, sipping pineapple juice from a coconut and watching his ceiling fan turn.

"Home!" Marty sighed.

Alex stood on the beach outside of Marty's hut and faced into the ocean. He thought about crowds of cheering people, pampering, safety, and comfort.

"Home." Alex sighed.

* * *

"I just can't stop thinking about her!" Marty exclaimed the next day. The four friends were enjoying breakfast together outside of the hut.

"Who?" asked Melman, mouth full of vitamin-rich fruit.

Marty shook his head, "That girl on the beach, the one who sho-…I met." Marty hadn't told his friends about the people yet.

"Oh," said Melman, swallowing. He winked, "She was really pretty, huh?"

Marty looked surprised, "Yeah, she kinda was…" He shook his head; he hoped she was okay, and that she wasn't too mad at him for running off so rudely. Marty stared off into the ocean, thinking about last night. What was up with him anyway? They were just people! Very _loud _and _smelly _people, but they were people. The creature he'd been around since Day One. The creature who had crowded into the zoo by the hundreds to see him and his friends. The creature who had fed and cared for all of the animals at the zoo.

The creature who had sent them all away from the zoo.

Alex stopped chewing his food to look at his friend. Marty still stared into the ocean, almost dreamily! What was going on with him?

"Uh, where does she live?" Alex frowned, swallowing the fish. Alex was not at all sure he liked seeing Marty all moon-eyed over a girl. It wasn't like the zebra to be so mushy.

"Huh?" Marty snapped back to reality, "Cora? She lives on the other side of the island."

Alex was relieved. Then he wasn't. _Cora? He's on a first name basis? What if he runs off again to go visit her? She lives so far away…_

"Well, maybe she just came to Madagascar for the day." Alex hoped out loud, "I mean, she doesn't actually _live _here, right?"

Marty looked at Alex. The lion hadn't even _met _Cora, and he was already acting unfriendly. Marty frowned, "I don't know. She came with people."

Melman choked on a piece of melon. Gloria's mouth dropped open, and Alex's expression changed instantly to excitement.

"People?" they all said at once.

Marty nodded nonchalantly, "Yeah, but you're probably right, Alex. They probably just came for a visit."

"Now hold on," Alex put up a paw, "Why didn't you tell me…_us_…that there might be people on the island?" the lion demanded.

"It isn't _might be_, Alex. There _are _people here. I know, because I saw them. And smelled them. There's not another thing in the world that smells like that," Marty wrinkled his nose.

Alex's whole body lit up, "Where there's people, there's a way home!" Alex, Gloria, and Melman leapt up excitedly and danced around.

"Crowds to please!" yelled Alex ecstatically.

"24-hour full spa!" Gloria sighed happily.

"An entire staff of specialized doctors!" Melman grinned.

Marty watched his friends celebrate. He looked around at the huts they'd built from scratch, the sandy white beach, the clear blue ocean, the lush green jungle, open spaces, and sapphire sky. The zebra sighed. He hated to leave all this for stuffy, noisy, dirty New York. And what about his sudden aversion to people? What would happen when he was placed in a cage in the middle of one of the largest human cities on earth?

Marty almost smiled as he watched his friends. They seemed so happy at the prospect of going home. Who was he to stand in the way of their happiness? Besides, as long as they were together, it really didn't matter where they were. Marty knew they'd be there for one another. He decided that was enough for him.

Marty stood up and joined his friends in an impromptu conga line that Alex had started.

"Grass without bugs in it!" Marty added to their list of good things about New York.

Marty knew he'd go…but he felt that it would never be the same for him.

* * *

Alex ran out of the woods toward Marty's hut.

"Marty! Marty!" the excited lion burst into the hut. He saw Marty sweep up a bunch of large leaves off his counter in an attempt to hide them, "Ahh! Alex! Do not interrupt me when I'm planning!"

"Sorry," Alex grinned at the annoyed zebra, "but I have good news!" He jigged around the room, "Great news, wonderful news, exciting news, fantastic news!"

"Well, let's hear it!" Marty leaned over his counter expectantly, no longer annoyed.

Alex grinned broadly, "I just went to see the lemurs."

Marty nodded.

"I talked to the one that looks like an overgrown Furby."

"Maurice."

"That's the one."

"Aaand?"

"And he said that…" Alex paused for effect.

"What?" Marty cried.

"He knows of a shortcut to the other side of the island! The other side! You know, where the people are!" Alex leapt into the air and did a double front flip to where Marty stood behind his counter, "Ta da!"

Marty smiled and nodded, "That's great, Al."

Alex's enthusiasm faded when he saw that his best friend lacked it.

"What's wrong, Marty? I thought you wanted to go! Grass without bugs and all that, remember? You were all excited at breakfast…" Alex frowned sadly.

"No, no, it's great. Really!" Marty sighed and stashed the leaves (plans for Alex's island home) under the counter. Then the zebra walked around the counter to his buddy.

"If you're happy, I'm happy." Marty tried to grin convincingly at Alex.

"Sure." Alex sat down on a sand couch. _I've known you forever, Marty. I can tell when you're pretending. _

Marty sat down next to Alex. The two pals sat together for a while in silence.

"Hey, Alex, you were right." Marty said suddenly.

Alex looked up, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"You told me to make a wish for something." Marty shrugged, "Well, that night I wished for something to get rid of those nightmares, and it worked! Cause I had no nightmares last night."

"That's great!" Alex smiled warmly.

"I uh, also did…something else." Marty looked down.

Alex sat up straight, "What?" he asked curiously.

Marty looked slightly embarrassed, "I left the other day to try and find you a way back to New York."

Alex blinked. _Mr. Wild and Free went looking for a way to go back to the city? He did it for me…all the time I was mad at him for running off…_

"You didn't have to do that." Alex said when he remembered to talk.

"I know, but I wanted to." Marty sighed again, "As much as I wish you thought of this place as home, I can't _make _you like it. I'd be happy in New York because you guys would be happy. So…that's why I went."

"Thanks, Marty." Alex stood up and stretched, "Well, soon we should go check out the people!" The big cat moved toward the door.

"Um, yeah, sure." Marty tried to forget the terror he'd felt near the humans.

"Oh, Alex…" Marty remembered something.

Alex turned around, "Yeah?"

"I invited Glo and Melman over for dinner."

"Great!" Alex did a little dance, once again excited, "We can tell them the news! I can't wait!"

Marty grinned at his happy hyper friend, "Where are you going?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd take a walk…" Alex waved a paw vaguely in the direction of the jungle.

"Hey!" Marty cried, "No fair checkin' out the people without me! I discovered them!"

"Ok, okay." Alex pretended to be disappointed, "Maybe I'll just do some exercises then. How's that sound?"

"Much better!" the striped equine stood up and returned to his counter, "And when you get back, we're gonna party!"

Alex nodded happily. He loved it when the two of them were getting along. "Sounds good, See you later!" The lion left to find a non-sandy place to do calisthenics.

Marty watched him go, sighed, and began making drinks.

Several hours later, the four of them were in Marty's hut, feasting on island treats and telling jokes and stories.

_It doesn't get any better than this,_ Marty thought contentedly as they laughed at one of Melman's corny jokes.

It was now Alex's turn.

"Okay, I've got a new one, and guys, it's good!" Alex began, "All righty. Why did the zebra cross the road?"

Marty groaned good-naturedly, "Aww, that's an easy one. To get to Grand Central Station!" he answered, having experienced the phenomenon himself.

Alex mock-glared at Marty, "That's _you._ This is a _normal_ zebra…"

A knock came at the door.

Alex did a quick head count. Melman, Gloria, and Marty were here. That meant that the knock must've come from either the lemurs or the psychotic penguins…neither of which would be welcome intrusions.

Gloria stood up and went to the door. She opened the peep-slat. Her brown eyes opened wide when she saw who had knocked.

"Marty? I think you'd better come here." Gloria stepped aside to let the zebra peek out.

Marty looked out. _His _eyes widened. He closed the slat and threw open the door, grinning broadly, "Hi!"

Alex blinked. In the doorway stood…a horse! A dark brown horse about Marty's size, but much prettier. She smiled at Marty.

"I was…in the area and I heard all the noise, so I thought I'd come see what was going on…I hope I'm not interrupting anything." The girl horse blinked her big blue eyes.

_You happen to have interrupted my joke,_ thought Alex.

"No, no, of course not! Come on in, make yourself comfortable!" Marty gestured into his hut. The mare stepped in, smiled again at Marty, and nodded politely to Gloria.

"I'm really sorry about the people." Cora apologized to Marty.

Alex's ears pricked. _People? _

Marty waved a hoof dismissively, "Don't worry about it. That wasn't your fault."

Cora looked as though she disagreed, but hid that look when Marty glanced at her. Instead of explaining, she asked, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

Marty grinned, "Of course! You already know me; this is Gloria…"

"Nice to meet you!" Gloria smiled kindly at Cora. Cora smiled back.

Marty continued, "…and this is Melman…"

Cora looked, and her eyes got wider, "What's wrong with his neck?"

"There's something wrong with my neck?" Melman cried.

Gloria looked reassuringly at Melman, "There is nothing wrong with your neck, that's the way it's supposed to look." She turned to Cora, "Melman's a giraffe."

Melman sighed with relief.

"Oh," Cora nodded, looking confused, "what's a giraffe?"

"A Melman!" Marty explained helpfully.

"Oh, ok." Cora accepted this explanation.

"And this is my best friend!" Marty pointed to Alex with his hoof, "This is Alex!"

Cora took one look at Alex and leapt backward about four feet, "Ahhhh!" she screamed, "Marty, that's a lion!"

"I know." Marty walked over to Alex, "He's my friend. We grew up together in New York."

Cora still didn't look too sure, "New York must be a very strange place."

"It is." Alex said, sounding almost irritated. Marty gave him a questioning glance. Why was Alex so upset?

Marty decided to do something about the tense silence.

"So, who wants a drink?" Marty went swiftly to his counter and held up a coconut cup. He noticed that Cora sat down next to Gloria and as far from Alex as possible.

"I'll take one." Gloria answered quickly.

"Me too." Cora said.

"Make that three." Melman added.

Alex nodded at Marty, "I'd like one too."

"Coming right up!" Marty cheerfully filled five coconuts with some fruit juice he'd squeezed earlier. Then he set them on a driftwood tray and carried them to his friends.

"So, where are you from?" Gloria asked, trying to make conversation.

"Um," Cora took her drink from Marty's tray, "Kansas."

"How did you get here? Did you come with the people? When are you leaving?" Alex rapidly fired questions at the horse.

Cora frowned uncomfortably, unsure of how to answer.

Gloria glared at Alex, who shrugged.

Melman looked suspiciously into his brown drink, "Is this decaffeinated?"

Marty glanced around the room and realized that his party was falling apart. He set down his cup and yawned, "Well, guys, it's getting late, huh?"

Melman took the cue right away, "I guess I'll…snshzzzzz." The giraffe fell asleep.

Alex sighed, put his cup on the ground, and flopped onto the sand couch, his back to the rest of the room.

Gloria kindly turned to Cora, "Come on, honey, you can bunk with me," she offered the mare.

Cora stood up, "Actually, I really should be going…"

"What?" Marty protested, "You can't go all the way to the other side of the island by yourself…and this late!"

"Marty's right," Gloria said, "You might as well wait until morning to head out."

Cora looked as though she was about to protest…then she stopped. She kind-of liked these odd creatures. And it _was_ late. "Okay." She followed Gloria out of the hut.

"Night Marty, night Alex." Gloria waved, "Melman, come on." Melman stood sleepily up and stumbled out with the girls.

"Night, Glo! Sleep well, guys!" Marty called out. The zebra tidied up a little, got into his hammock, and glanced across the room at his best friend.

"Good night, Al." he said.

A paw waved briefly from the furry lump on the sand couch.

Marty sighed, shrugged, and snuggled into his hammock.

Tomorrow would be a new day.


	5. True Color

"Are you sure he knows where he's going?" Cora asked Marty the next day as they walked through the forest.

"Sure." Marty answered, "He said he did, and I trust him."

Alex was leading the group through the woods. He was showing them the shortcut that Maurice had told him about.

Cora was eager to go back to "The Other Side", as Marty called it. She didn't know how to get there from the Zoosters' beach. And Alex _did _seem to know where he was going. Still, Cora remained skeptical about Marty's lion friend. The people had said that lions were dangerous.

_They also said that they ate zebras, so what do they know?_ Cora thought. _Marty says that Alex is his best friend!_

The odd bunch of animals tromped on and on.

"This shortcut's too long!" Melman puffed.

"What's wrong now, Melman?" Gloria asked.

Melman wheezed, "Asthma…attack!"

"Can we all stop for a while?" Cora asked them, "I'm getting tired, myself."

Gloria nodded, "Alex! Hold up there for one moment!" she called.

Everyone stopped. Melman plopped down and breathed deeply, "Inhaler…inhaler…my kingdom for an inhaler…" he panted.

Alex shook his head, "I don't get it. We've followed the fuzzbucket's instructions to the letter! We should be seeing people right now!"

"Or at least smelling them." Marty agreed.

"Maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere." Gloria suggested.

Alex frowned, "Or maybe the fuzzbucket didn't know what he was talking about."

"That's certainly a possibility," Gloria sighed.

Marty looked thoughtful, "Come on, guys! If we go this way far enough, we should get there, right?"

"We should've followed Marty's trail," Melman moaned, "At least we know where it goes."

"Marty's trail is long, it would've taken forever!" Alex sat down discouragedly, "I really thought we'd get to the people faster if we went this way."

"It's not your fault, Alex," Gloria reassured him, "We'll just go back to the huts and try again tomorrow."

"What about Cora? She needs to get home." Marty reminded them.

Melman blinked and looked around, "Where _is_ Cora?" he asked.

Marty, Gloria, and Alex whirled around, trying to find her.

The horse was nowhere in sight.

Hoofprints led off from Alex's trail into the woods.

"I'll go get her!" Marty dashed down the hoofprint trail before anyone could open their mouth to object.

Gloria shook her head, "Does Cora remind you of anyone?"

* * *

Cora sat peacefully in a little clearing, drinking from a sparkling blue pond. Suddenly, she heard a crashing sound in the jungle! Alarmed, she stood up, froze, and stared into the woods.

The crashing sound came closer.

She saw a black-and-white pair of ears and stiff mane bobbing up and down. Cora relaxed; it was only Marty!

Marty burst into the clearing, "What are you doing way out here? I got kind-of worried when you disappeared!"

Cora smiled at the zebra. _It's sweet of him to worry about me. _She sighed and looked down. Then she looked up seriously, "I just needed to come out here and think."

Marty walked energetically up to her, "What've you got to think about?"

"Stuff." Cora couldn't meet Marty's friendly eyes.

Marty looked curiously at Cora, "C'mon, baby, what's wrong? You can tell me."

Cora finally looked at Marty, "I…haven't been entirely honest with you, Marty."

Marty frowned and sat down on a rock beside the pond. "What do you mean?" he asked Cora.

Cora looked at the water. She looked at Marty.

"I'm not what I seem." Cora said simply. Then she stepped into the pond.

Marty thought it was an odd time for a swim, "Cora…"

"Watch." The horse splashed into the pond, swam in a circle, and swam gracefully back to shore. She stood up, dripping wet. And everywhere that the water dripped off of her left a streak.

Marty gasped, "Your hair is coming off!"

"Not my hair." Cora walked closer to Marty so he could see her better, "Mud. Makeup. This is my real color." She toweled herself off with a very large leaf growing nearby.

Marty stared openmouthed for a few seconds. He just couldn't believe it.

Cora was black and white.

She had patches of black and white all over her, from her head to her round, black hooves. Her mane alternated colors all down her neck. Her sea-blue eyes looked worriedly at Marty. One side of her face was black, the other was white with a black patch around her eye, giving her an almost comic appearance.

"Wow." Marty said finally, "Why…why didn't you tell me?"

Cora picked at the ground with her hoof, "Back home on the ranch, all the other horses used to call me the "circus pony". They didn't like me because I'm different. I'm not one solid color, or even a stylish Appaloosa." The painted mare sadly turned away, "When you first met me, I was all muddy from exploring the island. Then you were from New York…which I've heard is fashion central. And I bet that you had lots of pretty girls back there…and I guess it was just easier to pretend that I was one solid color, like I want to be. I just…wanted you to like me." Cora took a breath, "But I didn't think you'd like…well…"

"Like your spots?" Marty finished.

Cora nodded.

"But I love them!" Marty exclaimed.

Cora looked surprised, "Really? You do?"

"Yeah!" Marty held out a striped leg, "Besides, I'm not exactly solid-colored myself!"

"You're a zebra," Cora said, "I'm a horse."

"What's the difference?" Marty shrugged, "Maybe I'm a striped horse…or you're a spotted zebra!"

Cora smiled, "I guess I never thought about it like that before!"

"Sure!" Marty happily waved to the woods, "Now will you come back? The others are probably wondering where we went."

Cora once again seemed nervous, "I don't think your friend likes me at all."

"Aw," Marty waved a hoof as though to brush that comment aside, "Don't worry about him, Alex'll come around once he gets to know you."

You _don't even know me, Marty. I've only told you _one _secret…_the horse thought of something. "Has he ever tried to…you know…eat you?" Cora asked, disgustedly curious.

Marty thought about how to answer this.

He said hesitantly, "Well, let me tell you a story while we go back to the others…"

* * *

Because he was in the lead, Alex was the first to spot the human camp. And the boat. Excitedly, he bounded toward it.

Gloria caught him, "Alex, wait. Stop and think. We need to make a good impression on the people if we want them to take us back to New York!"

Alex stopped and thought for about two seconds. He leapt back into the air to bound towards the camp. He was too excited to sit still.

Gloria sighed exasperatedly, "Shouldn't we wait for Marty? He can't be too far behind us."

Melman looked sternly at the over-excited lion, "We should've just waited for him where he left us."

Alex said nothing. He was entirely focused on the human camp; all he could think of was New York, and staying in one spot was making him crazy!

"Marty?" Alex asked breathlessly.

"Yes, Marty!" Gloria grabbed Alex's head and held it still. She stared hard into the lion's crazy eyes, "Your best friend, Marty! Remember him? Stripes…energetic…fun…you grew up together…"

Alex nodded, still with a silly look on his face, "Yeah, the guy who got us all transferred away from New York. We grew up in New York together, but he thinks home is here. He doesn't want to leave. ButIdo. Helovesithereit'shishome. Butit'snotmyhomesoIwanttogobacktoNewYorkonthatboatoverthere…" Alex started talking really fast, and not making much sense.

Gloria could see that she wasn't getting through to him. She let go of his head and frustratedly kicked a tree trunk. A coconut fell from the tree and hit Alex squarely on the head.

"Alex!" Gloria gasped, "Are you all right? I'm so sorry!"

"Fine." Alex swayed, holding a paw to his head, "I'm fine…" he looked at Gloria and Melman. "Marty! Where's Marty? He should be here by now!" Alex frantically searched the bushes around the trail.

"Alex?" Melman nervously stared at the human camp, "Um, Alex?"

Gloria turned her attention away from the lion and looked at the camp. She froze, "Alex!"

Alex looked up, "What, Glo…"He saw what they were staring at.

The humans were now all in the clearing, looking suspiciously around at various parts of the jungle.

Alex grinned, "Now we're getting somewhere!"

The people heard the lion sound and spun around to stare at the spot where the three animals were.

"Uh, Al…" Melman gulped. These people didn't look friendly.

"Don't worry," Alex stepped forward, "I know what I'm doing!"

"I have a better idea." Melman whispered to Gloria, "Worry!"

"Uh, oh." Gloria agreed.

Alex stepped out of the jungle and began talking to the people, "Hi! How are you? Look we, my friends and I, were kinda marooned on this island for a couple of…dreadful weeks, and we need a ride back to New York as soon as possible. Yeah. So we were wondering, since you have such a nice big boat, if you wouldn't mind only four extra passeng…whoah! No, it's alright!" Alex backed up as the now terrified men reached for their guns.

Alex kept backing up, "It's alright, really, we'll go on board without those things, I promise!" he said, remembering the tranquilizer guns the people had used to load him onto a ship the previous time.

The men raised their guns at the lion, who backed up a little more. He closed his eyes, maybe this was the way it had to be. If it would get him to New York, it'd be worth it.

"Alex! NO!" Two black-and-white figures leapt out of the jungle and into the clearing.

"Marty?" Alex was confused.

The humans were momentarily distracted by the horse and zebra suddenly disturbing camp.

"Alex, those aren't tranquilizer guns! Those guns will kill you!" Marty yelled to his friend.

Alex was stunned. Was Marty trying to get out of leaving Madagascar? Why would humans want to kill him? "What? How do you know?"

"You just have to believe me, Alex!" Marty cried.

Some of the humans turned their deadly weapons back to Alex. He saw in their eyes that they meant business. He held up his paws, "Hold on, guys, can't we talk about this?"

"They're not going to discuss it with you!" Cora warned.

Marty yelled again, "Run, Alex! Run!"

Alex turned around and dashed into the woods. The men fired after him, but he was already out of sight.

Marty was too concerned with Alex to notice two men sneaking up on him. One man lassoed Marty and the other lassoed Cora. Marty struggled, but Cora stood sadly still.

"What do we have here?" one man crowed, "Looks like our girl Cora found us a nice little zebra! Good job, girl! You're back up to full rations again!"

Marty looked at Cora, feeling betrayed, "What? Cora, is this true?"

"Yes…no!" Cora's eyes filled up, "It's not like that…it was…but…"

Marty's heart dropped to his small hard black feet. Just when he was really starting to like Cora.

"C'mon, you!" a man jerked hard on Marty's rope. Marty sadly followed him.

A dumb looking guy scratched his head, "I thought you said that something got the horse?"

"Apparently," another man gritted his teeth, "she just went to find us some more booty." The men led Cora away and jerked a terrified Marty along. Marty wanted to yell for help, but he didn't want Alex to get in danger again.

"Marty!" Alex stood in the jungle, watching the men rough-handling Marty. He leapt forward again, this time to defend his best friend.

Gloria stopped him, "Alex, no, they'll kill you!"

"But we have to save Marty!" Alex yelled, struggling desperately, "I can't just let them take him! What are they doing to him?"

Alex watched, horrified, as the men shoved Marty into a small wooden, slatted crate, and then hooked a cable to the crate. The cable was attached to a crane. The crane was attached to the boat.

One man yelled at the others, "You HAD to fire your guns at that lion, didn't you? Now every Fed on the island knows we're here! Get everything on board! We're gonna dump this place and get out of here! It's not worth getting caught!"

The men broke camp and piled all of their gear, several other crates, and Cora on the boat. All the men raced on board and the engine started.

Marty's crate began to lift slowly off the ground as the people operated the crane.

"Help!" Marty cried helplessly. The crate shifted and his hoof slid through a slat in the crate.

This was too much for Alex. He wasn't going to just stand there and watch as these awful people took his best friend away! He broke away from Gloria and rushed to the crate. He grabbed Marty's hoof with his paw.

"I'm right here, Marty!" Alex told his friend. He caught a glimpse of Marty's face through the slats. The zebra tried to smile, "Alex? Are you okay? They didn't hit you with those guns, did they?"

The crate jerked upward, and Alex almost lost his grip on Marty's hoof. He felt his back feet leaving the ground. The lion held on tighter and grabbed the crate with his other front paw. "I'm fine, Marty! Don't worry, I'll find a way to get you out!" Alex looked for a latch on the cage.

Marty's eyes were sad and scared, "Alex, I don't want to go to New York without you!"

"You won't!" Alex cried, fumbling with the crate's edges. _There should be a latch somewhere around here! There has to be a latch!_

The crate jerked again and the boat started moving away from the land. Desperately, the lion grabbed a board on the side of the cage. Alex pulled with all the strength he had. He looked into Marty's terrified face. Marty looked back at Alex.

"Alex, I can't…"

"We're gonna make it, Marty!" Alex told his best friend.

Marty slid around as the crate swung and tilted, unbalanced by a lion.

Alex pried at the board with his paw. He hung suspended from Marty's hoof with the other paw. He wondered briefly why the dialogue seemed familiar.

"Alex!" Marty cried, "We're getting farther from land…you can't swim!"

Alex's blue eyes were determined, "It's okay, Marty, almost there…"

The crate jerked again, just as Alex yanked the board loose.

Alex triumphantly held up the slat, "Yeah…ahhhh!" Unfortunately, all he was now hanging from was Marty's hoof. His weight was pulling Marty into the side of the crate, and Marty's leg had slipped all the way through the crack.

"Hang on, Alex!" Marty yelled, doing his best to keep Alex from slipping into the waves below.

Alex reached slowly up and grabbed at the crate, "It's okay…almost…got it…"

The crate jerked again. The hoof that Alex held so tightly slipped from his grasp. Down he fell, but not before seeing the horrified, horribly familiar look on Marty's face as the zebra watched Alex fall. Alex struck the water hard.

"Alex!" the crate swung onto the boat as it powered away, taking with it Alex's best friend in the whole world.

"Marty! No!" Alex barely had time to cry out before his head dropped under the water. Down, down sunk Alex.

He didn't feel Gloria lifting him back to the surface and dragging him ashore. He didn't see or hear how concerned she and Melman were about him. All he could see was the boat vanishing into the horizon. All he could hear was Marty's voice echoing in his ears.

"Marty." Alex whimpered.

But the zebra was gone in the waves.


	6. Valuable Garbage

The ship rocked and creaked. Several creatures on board felt seasick. Two of the creatures, however, were too upset to care. One felt lost, betrayed, and alone. The other knew exactly what was going on and felt helpless, confused, frustrated, and very sad. By some cruel coincidence, they both were equines, both had the same color scheme, and had each started to become fond of the other.

One lay in shock in a crate, unable to function. The other stood on the deck of the ship, hopelessly searching the horizon for answers.

On a small speck in the distance, though they were far apart, three other creatures shared in their misery.

* * *

A wet lion sat on a beach on Madagascar. _It's just like my nightmare, except it's water instead of sand,_ he thought. Alex looked sadly up at Gloria and Melman, "Marty…he's gone. Marty's gone, and it's all my fault! I shouldn't have rushed into the situation." Alex buried his face in his paws, "I may never see him again! What have I done?"

"Alex," Gloria firmly yet comfortingly put a hand on Alex's shoulder, "Quit blaming yourself! You didn't know that the people were dangerous! And it is not your fault that Marty showed up when he did."

Alex shook his head, "It's a good thing he did. I'm pretty sure he was right about those guns."

"How awful!" Melman shuddered.

Gloria sympathetically patted the distraught lion, but for once, she couldn't think of anything comforting to say.

"Eeek!" Melman exclaimed suddenly, "That garbage pile just moved. I saw it move! I KNEW the wild was unsanitary…"

Gloria and Alex looked.

Four penguin heads poked out of the pile of refuse that the humans had left behind.

"It's the psychotic penguins!" Alex said.

The penguins checked the perimeters, then marched up to Gloria, Alex, and Melman.

"Status report!" Skipper demanded of Alex, "Er…how is everything?"

"Uh," Alex stared at the penguin, "not good actually."

Skipper snapped his head around to search for the cause of Alex's unfavorable status.

Kowalski's eyes darted around, "The hostile invaders appear to have departed, sir!"

"Yes," Skipper agreed, "but for how long? And where's our monochromatic friend? He's usually not far from you, Psychotic Lion. Do you know what happened here?" Skipper pointed a flipper at Alex.

Alex glared at the penguin, "They took him okay? The people grabbed him and left. That is ALL that HAPPENED!" Alex shoved the flipper out of his face and stalked to the water's edge.

"Hmm…"Skipper tapped his head, "Our monochromatic friend has been abducted by hostiles…Kowalski! Ready the ship for departure! Rico! Alert the natives of our situation. We may need their help. Private, you're with me." Skipper began marching back to the trash pile.

Gloria called to Skipper, "Hold on just a minute. What do you mean, 'ready the ship'?" She put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah." Melman added quizzically, "I thought the boat was out of gas."

Skipper winked at them, "It is, Mammals, we're going to refuel it."

"With what?" Melman and Gloria asked simultaneously.

"This!" Skipper yanked a blanket off of something in the trash heap. It was three huge barrels! The barrels had the words, "Gasoline, Danger: Extremely flammable" written on them. Skipper proudly patted a barrel with his flipper, "We found these babies and moved the junk pile to keep them from being detected by the hostiles. They never knew it was gone!"

"Skipper, how're we going to get these barrels to the boat?" Private asked.

Skipper smiled secretively, "That's why we need the natives, young Private!"

Just then, Rico returned from the woods. Skipper looked at him, "Well?"

Rico shrugged. Skipper shook his head and narrowed his eyes.

Alex turned around and looked skeptically at the penguin, "What now?"

"Apparently, Rico was unable to locate the natives." Skipper stroked his head thoughtfully.

Alex frowned at the large fuel canisters. They were huge, and looked very heavy. Too heavy even for _him_ to lift. But with a few hundred lemurs…

_With every second, Marty gets farther and farther away. But if there's a way to get him back…_Alex thought. He nodded to the jungle, determination once again sparking in his blue eyes, "I'll go find them!" He dashed off.

"Good luck, Alex!" Gloria called.

Alex ran as hard as he could; he felt himself tiring rapidly. _No!_ Alex's mind yelled at his legs, _I've got to keep going! Faster! _His legs pumped, but the jungle path moved ever more slowly beneath him. The struggle with the crate had drained his energy.

But maybe there was a way for Alex to motivate himself.

_Fish,_ thought Alex, _think about the bucket of fish in Marty's hut! _His gut lurched a little when he thought about his missing friend, but Alex found that he was moving faster!

_Fish. Fish. Fish. Fish._

Leaves and branches whipped past Alex. In spite of his concern for Marty, Alex felt elation from the speed. Faster, faster! His feet were barely touching the ground.

Fish. Fish. Fish. Fish. The bushes chanted as he brushed past them. They were urging him on. "Fish! Fish! Fix! Fishalex! Alex! Alex!" The bushes became a crowd, lining the path and calling Alex's name. Photos snapped and leafy people waved souvenirs at the running lion. Alex ran even faster. The crowd roared its delight and chanted his name as fast as he ran. Like a brown and tan blur, Alex flew through the jungle.

It wasn't long before he saw the huts standing on the beach…just ahead.

The crowd vanished, and now only one thing remained.

Fish. Fish. Fish.

Alex dashed into Marty's hut. He tried not to think about how empty it seemed with its owner gone. He snatched a fish from his stockpile and left the hut. Now, to find the fuzzbuckets. He headed for their favorite party spot, expecting to hear music leading him to yet another lemur party.

He heard nothing but jungle noise.

Alex reached the spot where the lemurs usually spent all day dancing and partying. No lemurs. He looked behind leaves and under stones, "Fuzzbuckets? It's me, Alex. Hello? Anyone here? Hello-o?"

No one appeared.

_Where are they? _The lion panicked, _We need them to help us, or we can't save Marty! They could be anywhere! _Madagascar was a large island, as Alex was finding out.

"King Julien? Anyone? Hello?"

A leaf dropped. Then a branch fell. Alex looked up.

Many, many small fuzzy heads peeked down at him from tree branches.

Alex sighed with relief, "I am so glad I found you guys! We need your help! Uh…" Alex squinted up at them, "Why are you hiding?"

One lemur gulped and looked around nervously, "We heard sounds! Loud sounds!"

"People sounds!" another lemur added, "_Live _people sounds!"

Alex sighed again, this time without relief, "Well, you can come down, now. The people are gone."

The lemurs still looked worried.

King Julien popped out of a leafy branch with his right-hand-lemur, Maurice. "Go on, do as Mister Alex says!" Julien told the lemurs.

From everywhere, lemurs slid down vines to the ground. Maurice lowered Julien to the ground on a platform, then he himself slid down. Mort, the smallest lemur, found that his vine came up short. He plopped to the ground and giggled, cushioned by his tail.

"You said you needed our help, Mister Alex." King Julien walked up to the lion, grinning, "What can I have them do for you?"

Alex blinked, "Those people you heard? They kidnapped Marty! We need you guys to help us bring gas to our boat so we can go save him!"

The lemurs gasped. Julien frowned and shook his head.

"The greedy live people have taken several of us, as well." Julien looked thoughtful for a moment.

Maurice approached the crown-wearing lemur, "Julien, I don't think it's a good idea to get involved."

"Silence, Maurice!" Julien cried, "My brain is busy doing deep thinking things."

Maurice looked doubtful.

Finally, Julien looked up at Alex and grinned, "Since we are all fond of the striped one, and you have been kind to us, I have decided that we will help you. On one condition."

"What's that?" Alex asked.

Julien nodded, "That you bring back those of us captured by the live people."

Alex grinned, "Sounds fair. Follow me!" He began heading for the trail back to the humans' campsite.

"Follow Mister Alex!" Julien ordered.

All of the lemurs bounced after the lion.

* * *

Along procession wove through the forest from the human campsite. Lemurs, penguins, and a hippo all pushed, pulled, and lifted a platform made from palm tree trunks. On the platform were three large drums of boat gasoline.

"Why take only one, when you can have them all?" Skipper grinned at the gasoline barrels. The penguins hi-fived each other.

Julien walked ahead of the lemurs, singing, "I Like to Move It, Move It", although he wasn't moving anything but himself. _Got to keep everyone's spirits up, _he thought.

Alex led the way, Gloria helped to carry the platform, and Melman brought up the rear. The giraffe glanced behind himself, "Well, we're not going to get lost going this way again. We're making a trail!"

"I see the boat!" Alex called from ahead, interrupting the 28th improvised verse of King Julien's favorite song. The whole group cheered when their feet touched the sand. In the near distance, the boat waited for its next voyage to begin. They were going to find Marty.

Alex smiled, then frowned.

_We're going to find Marty, but will we be able to save him?_


	7. At Sea

The humans' boat sped toward the setting sun. Cora sighed and glanced at the largest occupied slatted crate on the deck. _Poor Marty,_ she thought, _I sure wish there was something I could do for him. It's all so wrong! Marty's supposed to be laughing and joking with his friends on Madagascar right now. _Cora sniffed, a tear running down her two-toned face, _These men…these _criminals,_ should be locked up, not Marty and the other animals! And I should be living at a ranch or a stable, not on a boat with dirty, smelly illegal traders!_

It had never been so hard to take before she'd met Marty. The capturing and selling…and the things that happened next…Cora had always been able to distance herself from the animals that her masters trapped. But not this time. Marty was too close, too close to her own kind. Not that her own kind had ever been kind to her, but Marty was different from the horses all those years ago on the ranch. He was different from all the wild animals she'd ever met. He was accepting, good-hearted, he made her laugh and feel good.

_And in return for his kindness to me, I got him captured. He and his friends must hate me now. _Cora sighed deeply and shook her head, _If only I could do it over…if only I had been a better pack horse, the men wouldn't have threatened to throw me overboard at deep sea, and I wouldn't have decided to get back in favor with them by finding them a large animal to sell to the poachers…I wish I'd never met Marty…_

_But that's not true. He showed me that it doesn't matter what I look like on the outside, it's what's inside that counts. And that's valuable to me. But not worth his life._

_Maybe that's what he was trying to tell me about Alex. That even though Alex had bad things inside him, there was something inside him that was stronger. That even though he looks like a lion, he is good inside. I saw today that Alex was willing to risk his life to save Marty. Poor Alex! I can't imagine having my best friend taken from me. Of course, I've never had a best friend. But if I did, I'd want our relationship to be like Alex's and Marty's. _

Cora had witnessed the whole sad event of Alex trying desperately to free Marty. She had wanted to do something to help, but she was too afraid of the people. She had done nothing, and now she regretted it.

_Maybe I can do something now. It's not much , but I can talk to Marty. He probably hates me. Will he listen to me? _She took another deep breath and walked toward Marty's crate. Cora snorted a little at her thoughts, _He doesn't have a choice. He can't exactly run away from me. _

"Marty?" the girl horse approached the crate. It was rapidly getting dark, so Cora could barely see a striped form lying in the box. She looked through the gap Alex had made when he'd pulled the slat off. Marty didn't turn to look at her.

Cora looked down, disappointed. She heard a soft snore. Marty was asleep! She smiled sadly at the sleeping zebra, "Sleep well. Dream about your friends." Cora saw him stir a little in the crate, "I wish I could let you out of there, but I can't work the latch. I am _so_ sorry about all of this. I'm going to try to help you get back to your friends, Marty. I promise." Cora left, deciding to allow the exhausted Marty to get some rest while she came up with a plan.

* * *

"What do you mean, you can't get it started?" Alex demanded of Skipper. Before the penguin could answer, Alex continued, "That is my best friend out there! My best friend in the whole world! And you _can't get it started_? You _have _to get it started!"

Skipper glared at Alex, a habit he was developing as the night wore on, "I said we can't get it started _tonight._ The instruments need to be realigned, the anchor needs to be hoisted, the wheel needs to be repaired, and we need to load supplies for the voyage in case of emergency. We'll depart in the morning."

Alex's eyes were a mixture of frustration, desperation, and concern, "The morning might be too late! That other boat will be miles, _miles_ ahead of us!"

Skipper dismissed Alex with a wave of his flipper, "We'll catch up easily, our boat's faster. Besides, I don't like the way the sea looks."

"The SEA LOOKS PERFECT!" Alex cried, gesturing to the mirror calm ocean.

Skipper nodded, "Too perfect. It's too smooth out there. Ever heard of the 'calm before the storm'? No, you probably haven't. It's a nautical term."

"You're paranoid!" Alex yelled, "There's nothing wrong with the ocean! It's fine! Look, it's fine! See?"

Gloria stepped in. Alex was getting much too worked up, "Alex, everyone's getting tired, including you. The boat can wait until tomorrow."

"But what if Marty can't?" Alex demanded darkly.

"He will," Gloria said firmly, "Don't worry so much! He just might get to New York ahead of us is all. Now, you need to calm down. Getting all hysterical won't help Marty."

Alex took a deep breath and collected himself, "You're right. I know. I'm sorry. I just can't shake the feeling that those people…I don't think…they don't seem to…"

Gloria held up her hand, "What's wrong, Alex? Say it."

Alex's sad blue stare reached in and pulled at Gloria's heart. Alex was truly deeply concerned about this, and he was making Gloria feel the same way. She shivered.

Alex didn't blink, "I have the feeling that if we don't find Marty soon, we'll never see him again…alive." The big cat choked the words out.

Gloria was silent for a while. She tried to smile reassuringly at her friend, "Alex, Marty's tough. He _will _be alright, I just know it." _Oh, please let me be right._ She thought.

Alex looked down. He had seen the flash of sudden doubt on Gloria's face.

"Hey," Gloria added, "he was the one who went into predator territory alone just to find you." The hippo looked closely at Alex, "Marty will be okay. The question is, will _you_ be?"

Alex stared blankly into the ocean. The moon was just starting to rise on the horizon. It sparkled on the water, seeming bigger tonight than usual. Somewhere under that same moon, a ship with one crane was anchored for the night.

* * *

Onboard the boat, the people were asleep in the cabin, snoring as loudly as the ship's engines had rumbled hours before. Most of the animals were asleep as well, but not Cora. It was time to put her plan into action!

She snuck over to three crates containing lemurs.

"Psst!" she hissed. The lemurs woke up "what do you want, lady…"

Cora glanced around, "Shh! Do you want to go home?"

The terrified lemurs nodded.

"Okay, then stand back." Cora kicked one crate lightly a few times. These small crates were the only ones she knew for sure that she could damage. The wood splintered. She kicked a little harder. The crate broke open, freeing one lemur. The lemur looked questioningly at Cora.

Cora whispered, "I have a plan! Undo the latches on all of the cages! Tell everyone else to do the same."

The lemur nodded and set to work, telling each liberated animal to spread the news that Cora had a plan.

In no time at all, the small crates were all empty. Only the largest crate remained.

A cinnamon-furred lemur struggled with the latch on Marty's crate. It was a big latch, and it was partially rusty. "I can't get it!" the lemur moaned.

Cora studied the crate, "I don't know if I can break it, either."

The striped lump in the crate moved, "What's going on?" Marty mumbled sleepily.

Cora looked strained, "We're going to try to take over the boat and go back to Madagascar."

Marty totally woke up, "Really? How can I help?"

"Keep your voice down!" one lemur hissed, "The people are asleep!"

Marty winced at the noise coming from the boat's cabin, "So I hear. It's amazing they don't wake up deaf!"

"Marty," Cora said, "what do you know about opening crates?"

Marty shrugged, "Hey, last time I got out of a crate, it was in the ocean. The crate started filling with water, and broke open in the waves."

Cora frowned, "I guess I could try kicking it." She turned around.

Marty got out of the way of Cora's flying hooves, but he didn't need to. She was barely able to scratch the wood! This crate was built to hold large animals…larger and stronger than Marty and Cora.

Frustrated, Cora kicked the crate one more time. It slid about a foot down the deck.

"Whoa! Watch it!" Marty cried.

Then his crate slid about two feet in the opposite direction.

"Take it easy, Coraaaah!" Marty's crate slid the other way.

Cora's mouth opened, "I'm not…ahh!" she tilted and staggered.

"What's happening?" the lemurs cried.

Lightning lit the sky, illuminating the lemurs' wide eyes and Cora's white spots. Then Cora saw what was happening.

They were in a sea storm.

Marty's crate slid all the way across the deck and slammed into the side rail of the boat. "Ow!" Marty said, "Uh, isn't it really bad to be near water in a lightning storm?"

Cora looked around, "It's okay, I think. We're not _in _the water, and we're not wet."

Rain suddenly poured down from the cloudy black sky. Thunder roared like a lion in the worst way. Marty braced himself as his crate slid back across the deck.

"Ow! Next time, I am gonna _demand _a seat belt!" the zebra yelped.

Cora didn't know what to do. She held onto a rail for the stairway to the cabin.

Then things suddenly got more complicated.

A man stepped out of the cabin. He noticed the loose lemurs. "What's going on here?" he yelled. He was answered by a bang of thunder.

The man saw Marty's crate crash into the guardrail again. He called back into the cabin, "You lazy idiots! Get out here and secure the zebra crate or _you'll _have to pay for the damage _yourselves!_"

A bunch of groggy men emerged from the cabin and stared at the chaos on the deck. The first man yelled at the other men, "Don't just stand there! Get to work! And get those animals back in their cages!" The man who appeared to be the boss was visibly angry.

"Yes, Boss!" the men began chasing lemurs and other small Madagascar animals all around the boat.

Cora saw her plan dissolving in the torrential rain. Lightning flashed again.

In the center of the deck, men tried to catch Marty's crate as it slid by.

"Aahh!" Marty yelled as the crate slammed into the rail. He looked up. The slats warped a little! This gave Marty an idea. When his crate began sliding back the other way, he slammed his weight against the side to speed it up. Crash! A slat broke in two. It worked! He tried again. Slide, slam. Crash! Another slat splintered and cracked. He was getting free! Slide, slam. Stretch. Stretch?

Marty peeked out of the crate. The men had stopped it with ropes!

"No!" Marty cried, "I almost had it!"

The men tied the ropes around the crate, securing the ends to the base of the crane. Then they began helping their fellow humans catch the loose animals.

Cora made her way to Marty's crate, "Marty! Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I think so…look out behind you!" Marty cried.

Cora whirled around and came face to face with the angry human boss. Marty noticed the man toss an empty bottle aside. Alarms went off in his head.

The man glared menacingly at Cora, "You! You're the only one who was awake! You freed those animals, you backstabbing, unappreciative nag!"

Cora flattened herself to Marty's crate. The man approached her.

The man narrowed his eyes, "I feed you, you worthless animal, and this is how you repay me?" He turned to one of his men, "Get my gun! We'll end this now."

Marty gasped, but Cora didn't flinch.

The man nodded, rushed into the cabin, and rushed back out, "Sir! The guns are gone!"

Cora snorted, "Of course they are. I threw them into the ocean!"

"You go, girl!" Marty cheered.

The boss man was furious, "Aggghhh!" he yelled. He charged at Cora, eyes seeming to glow red. She ran, sliding down the deck as the boat rocked. The boat hit a huge wave. It tilted violently, throwing both the enraged drunken man and the frightened horse into the air.

Marty watched in horror as Cora flew over the side of the boat.

"Cora!" Marty yelled. _This can't be happening. That couldn't have just happened!_

The boss man picked himself up from the deck and yelled at the waves, "Good to be rid of you, nag!"

"Land ho!" a man called from the bow.

The boss man's evil eyes turned to the front of the boat, "Kenya?" he asked hopefully.

The man who had called held up binoculars, "Jungle, sir. Not a town in sight. We've been blown off course! With the anchor down!"

"Well, get us back _on _course! Full engines and get us away from here! The longer we spend out here in the ocean, the better chance we give the Feds of finding us! _Never_ forget, we're wanted men!" the boss man yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Yes, Boss!" the men answered.

Marty once again started to shake uncontrollably. Now he understood why. It was his instinct telling him that people were dangerous. He desperately wanted to run away…away from men and yelling and boats and bottles and crates…and the fact that no one familiar was with him anymore. He strained to see anything outside his crate that might give him hope. All he could see was darkness, with humans intermittently illuminated by lightning. _Cora! Is she okay? _Marty gulped.

The boat roared to life beneath him. All around him, animals cried out in fear.

And Marty had never felt so alone.


	8. The Rescue

Alex couldn't sleep. He was sore from the day's activities, he felt rotten for yelling at everyone, he missed Marty like crazy, and he couldn't get comfortable. If he lay on his sand couch facing into the hut, he could see Marty's disturbingly empty hammock. If he turned toward the wall, water dripped on his nose from a leak in the roof. The storm kept flashing, rumbling, and dripping, not improving Alex's mood at all.

_I hate bad weather, _he thought, turning over for the millionth time that night. Lightning flashed, illuminating Marty's empty bed.

"Okay! He's gone! I know! Quit rubbing it in!" Alex yelled at the storm.

He turned over. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Alex abruptly stood up and changed couches. He groaned; now he had a view of the bar counter with the zebra-striped stools and the sign that read, "Marty's". The zebra had left a half empty cup of fruit juice on the counter during the last party. It was still there, reminding Alex of all the things that were left unfinished between him and Marty.

Alex again stood up. He knew how to fix this. He walked over to Marty's hammock and sat in it. It held him. Smiling a little sadly, he proceeded to lie down in the hammock. _This is pretty comfortable,_ the lion thought.

Finally, Alex fell asleep.

* * *

"Mr. Alex? Gloria? Melman?"

Alex woke up.

The sun was out. It was morning. Someone was yelling.

"Mr. Alex! Gloria! Melman! SOMEBODY!"

Alex's eyes flew open. He recognized that voice! He leapt out of bed and…got tangled in the hammock.

"Ow!" Alex hit the ground, flipped upright, and rushed to the door, "I'm here!" he called, flinging the door open and running out.

There was Cora, running down the beach, "Mr. Alex!" she yelled to the lion. She ran up to him, "So…glad I…found you…I've been…up all…night," she panted.

Alex was confused, "I thought you left on the boat!"

"I did," Cora answered, "but I…fell off…the boat…in the storm." The she eyed the lion, "Wait, how come you aren't surprised to see me…spotted?"

Alex shrugged, "What do you mean? You've always been spotted."

"Well, yeah," Cora said, "but…how did you know?"

The lion blinked, "I wasn't supposed to? I just thought you were muddy. I notice details!" Alex leaned closer to Cora, "And next time you cover yourself with mud to go undercover, I suggest you don't forget to put it behind your ears."

Cora blushed, "Oh."

"Um, Cora?" Alex asked, "How was Marty, you know, last time you saw him?"

Cora paused. She could tell from his eyes that Alex was truly worried about the zebra. She felt terrible, _Look what I've done to these friends!_ She thought. Cora looked down sadly.

Alex misunderstood Cora's sad look. His eyes widened, "You mean…?" The lion looked totally grief-stricken.

"Oh, Mr. Alex, no…Marty was fine last time I saw him!" Cora corrected the misinterpretation, "At least…he was alive." She remembered the crate crashing into the side rails of the boat.

Looking relieved, Alex chided her, "Whew, you really scared me there!" He saw Cora's sad eyes, "Don't worry, we've got a boat, and we're going to find Marty."

Cora glanced around, "You've got a boat?

"Yep!" Alex nodded.

Cora suddenly felt a spark of hope, "Well then, let's go! We've got no time to lose! We have to catch up with the people before…" she trailed off, not wanting to upset the lion with the facts. _I shouldn't tell him, he's been through enough! I hope he doesn't ask, I hope, I hope, I hope…_

"Before what?" Alex asked.

"Um," Cora bit her lip, "nothing, Forget I said that!"

The lion's eyes darkened, "What are we up against? Cora, tell me the truth. Why did those guys take Marty?"

The spotted horse closed her eyes. Why did life have to be so difficult? "Those men…they capture wild animals illegally. Then they sell them on the underground market, usually to poachers."

Alex wasn't fazed by this info. If anything, he was more confused. "Poachers?" The only poaching he'd encountered had a lot to do with eggs.

"They kill animals, Mr. Alex!" Cora burst out, "They kill them to sell their skins and meat!"

The lion went pale. "What?" he choked, "That's disgusting!"

"It is," Cora said sadly, "And that's why we've got to hurry!"

Alex's blue eyes narrowed. How dare anyone try to hurt Marty! Those humans weren't going to turn HIS friend into steak! They would NOT get away with this! Alex's claws sprung out with a click. His tail lashed. Full of pent up angry energy, Alex began heading for the boat.

"Let's go." He growled.

Cora followed, a bit frightened at Alex's transformation from concerned cat to furious lion.

Alex was angry. His mind flashed a picture of the last time he'd seen Marty. The zebra had looked terrified down to his core. Alex knew he'd felt the same way. No one had the right to do this to him and his best friend! They would pay…

The lion felt a wild savageness inside…the same one that had nearly caused him to eat Marty only a couple of weeks ago. But this time it was different.

This time, Alex was in control.

And he hoped, for the humans' sake, that Marty was still all right.

When he and Cora got to the boat, the penguins were just finishing preliminary checks on the big vessel.

Cora looked up, "_That's _your boat? It's huge!" She gaped at the ship. It must've been ten times larger than the humans' boat!

"That's the boat!" Alex said with a feral grin.

Gloria and Melman approached them from the direction of the huts.

"Cora? What are you doing here?" Gloria asked, surprised. Then she noticed Alex's behavior.

"Alex, did you eat breakfast?" Melman asked nervously.

Alex smiled a little less wildly, "Don't worry, guys, it's all under control. My control."

Gloria shook her head, "What is going on?"

"I'll explain later." Alex told Gloria. He called up to the penguins, "Are we ready to go?"

Skipper patted the ship, "We are green for launch."

Alex took that as a yes and leapt for the staircase the lemurs had built for them, "Then let's move out!"

Cora, Gloria, and Melman hurried up after Alex.

"Weigh anchor!" Skipper ordered, "Start us up!"

The huge engines started and the boat lurched backward off the beach.

Alex took a deep breath of the sea air. Today, he would find Marty, and everything would be right again.

Skipper called to Alex and Cora from the cabin staircase, "What is our destination?"

"Kenya, to the north west!" Cora yelled back, "And step on it!"

The boat made a slow turn and plunged ahead, north of west.

Alex sighed, watching the beach of Madagascar disappear from view.

They were finally on their way.

* * *

Once again Alex found himself pacing nervously. _How far away _IS _Kenya, anyway? _He wondered, _does this boat go any faster?_

"Alex, would you sit down? You're making me sick!" Gloria shut her eyes.

"Me too," Melman's voice said. He had been standing that way, head over the side of the ship, the entire ride.

Alex sat down, "Sorry. Shouldn't we be there yet?" The lion was ready for action, and tired of riding on this ship.

Cora sighed at him, "Mr. Alex? Kenya's pretty far away from where we were on Madagascar. Just be glad that the penguins know how to read maps."

Alex nodded. "Alex," he said.

"What?" Cora looked confused.

Alex slowly looked at her, "Call me Alex. Only the lemurs call me 'Mister Alex'."

"Okay." Cora blinked, a surprised smile lighting her face, "Alex."

Alex tried to return the smile. _She's not so bad. And she really seems to care about Marty._

In the ship's cabin, Private suddenly got excited. "Skipper! Skipper! I see the boat! The humans' boat!" he smiled.

Skipper nodded slightly, "Good work, Private. Kowalski! Adjust heading and correct for turbulence. Reduce velocity to vessel approach speed. Operation Zebra Rescue has just begun, boys."

The penguins hi-fived and Rico blew the horn.

On the deck, the four mammals jerked up, surprised at the loud blast. "They must see land!" Alex cried. They all rushed to the boat side railing to see. Cora smiled, "No, even better. That's the boat! The one that Marty's on! I'd recognize it anywhere!"

Gloria looked relieved. Cora looked angry and relieved. Alex looked worried, angry, and relieved. Melman looked green and relieved.

Alex grinned, staring at the smaller boat as they came closer and closer. Marty was nearby!

On the smaller boat, the men heard the blast of the large boat's horn.

"They've found us!" the boss man yelled paranoidly.

"But sir!" the dumb-looking one pointed, "That's a cargo ship, not a police boat!"

The boss man roughly grabbed the dumb-looking one, "That's what they want you to think, you idiot! They're Feds! Their whole _business _is deceiving people!" He let go of the dumb-looking man and yelled at the others, "Get those crates hidden! Pull out those fishing nets! And get our engines up to full throttle! We may be able to outrun them!"

Men scampered like frightened rodents to carry out the man's orders.

Marty yawned and peered out of his crate. He saw the huge boat that was approaching the "fishing boat" and grinned. _I recognize that boat. _He thought, _Help is on the way! _

Then everything went dark as some men threw a big blanket over Marty's crate.

On the cargo ship, Alex began warming up, stretching his legs and punching the air. Whatever happened on that boat, he would be ready for it!

He saw the smaller boat speed up a little. He smirked. They couldn't outrun this big ship with their little fishing boat!

Sure enough, Alex heard the big ship's engines get a little louder as they pulled even with the fishing boat.

"This is the Skipper speaking. You are holding one of our citizens hostage. In violating certain intercontinental treaties…" Skipper's voice came from over the ship's loudspeaker.

On the "fishing boat", the "fishermen" held their hands up as amplified penguin squawks flooded the air around them, "What's that awful noise?"

The boss man tried to yell over the squawks, "Pay no attention! It's some kind of auditory torture or mind control!" He glared all around, "Remember! If they board us, we're all fishermen!"

"…prepare to be boarded! Repeat! Prepare to be boarded!" Skipper finished his lengthy speech.

Alex helped lower the gangplank they'd built in Madagascar across the two boats. Unable to wait a second longer, he bounded across it. Gloria, Melman, and Cora looked at each other, and then bounded after Alex.

As soon as Alex was on board the smaller ship, he began looking around, "Marty! Where's Marty?" He grabbed a nearby man by the shoulders and shook him, "What have you done with my friend?" he cried.

Cora stepped in, "Whoa, Alex! Stop it; they can't understand a word you're saying!"

Alex let the terrified man go. "Oh," he said, looking dazed.

The lion-shaken man ran up to the boss man, "They're real monsters!" he cried, "About fifty of them! All hairy, with teeth like knives and eyes like lasers! And they speak in some foreign language with growls and squeaks!" The man quivered, "one jumped me! I managed to fight it off, but…we don't stand a chance, sir!"

The boss man made a decision. "Everyone get into the cabin!"

Alex's keen hearing picked up a muffled sound coming up from a huge pile of fish nets.

Fish. Fish. Fish.

_Forget about that!_ Alex told himself sternly, _Save Marty!_

He pushed the delicious-smelling nets aside and found a heavy blanket underneath the nets. The blanket was calling his name!

"Alex! Under here!" the blanket said.

Alex blinked. He yanked the blanket away, "Marty?"

Under the blanket was a crate. In the crate was the guy that Alex was afraid he'd never see alive again.

"Marty!" Alex yelled, pulling the crate toward himself with the excitement of a kid opening a present. He found the latch and pulled at it.

"Alex!" Marty yelled back excitedly, trying to help Alex.

Alex paused to pat his friend through the crate slats, "Don't worry, buddy. I'll get you out this time!" Alex's claws scratched at the latch.

"You better believe it!" Marty cried happily, "But what about the lemurs?"

"What about them?" Alex asked, not thinking about anything besides freeing Marty.

The zebra's eyes looked around, "The ones in the other cages!"

"We'll take care of them!" a female voice said. It wasn't Gloria's voice.

Marty shouted, "Cora! You're okay! Man, now I am definitely a believer in good luck!"

Cora just smiled as she, Gloria, and Melman set to work freeing the lemurs. Gloria pulled off the nets and blankets, Cora kicked open the crates, and Melman ushered the lemurs to the gangplank.

Alex struggled with Marty's latch.

"Try your teeth!" Marty suggested.

The lion said nothing as he hooked a claw through part of the latch and pulled. The rusted latch moved a little.

"I think I've figured it out!" Alex yelped happily.

"Uh oh, guys, we've got company!" Gloria said, glancing toward the cabin.

Cora looked up from the last crate, "Oh, no!"

The boss man stood just outside the cabin door, staring at the animals with a deadly look in his eyes. He pulled something out of his jacket, "I'm glad I had this stashed in a cupboard." He held up a gun. The gun was a lot smaller than the ones that Cora had thrown overboard, but judging from the way the man wielded it, size made little difference.

Alex's heart pounded. There was nowhere to run. For the first time ever, Alex was genuinely afraid for his life.

_This must be what it feels like to be the hunted. _Alex thought, _This is how Marty feels when he is near a predator._

Gulping down his fear, Alex stood tall, protecting the crate that contained his best friend. If he was going to die, at least Marty would have a chance.

"Alex! What's going on?" Marty asked, unable to see.

Alex imagined how sad Marty was about to be, "I'm so sorry, Marty!"

"About what?" Marty asked again, "C'mon, what's happening out there?"

Alex didn't answer. He stared straight into the human's treacherous eyes. Neither lion nor man blinked. The man's fingers twitched. Alex closed his eyes.


	9. Island to Island

The gun flew into the ocean.

"Melman?" Gloria looked up at the giraffe, shocked, "Did you do…what I just saw you do?"

A very surprised-looking Melman nodded, "I think so! OW!" He rubbed his head where he'd hit the gun like a baseball, "Yes, I did do it…hey! This bump was NOT here before! Anyone have an ice pack handy?"

Alex released the breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He turned and resumed his latch-picking.

Marty opened his mouth.

Alex held up a paw, "I'll tell you later."

"Okay." Marty shrugged. Then he happened to peek over Alex's shoulder. He saw the infuriated human glaring at Alex. "Alex! Look out behind you!" Marty cried. Briefly, an image of Cora flying over the side of the boat flashed through Marty's mind. He shook his head. This was nothing like that, right?

Alex glanced behind himself, still pulling at the latch. He saw the human preparing to charge at him!

"Something is _really _wrong with this dude!" Alex growled.

Then it fell into place.

And Alex got an idea.

The man started running straight at Alex. The big cat waited, paws on the latch.

The man came closer.

Alex got ready.

When the man was only a few feet away, he lunged, but Alex was too quick. In a flash, Alex threw open the crate door, grabbed Marty out, and slammed the door shut. The latch snapped closed, this time with the half-crazed human inside!

Inspired, Melman ran at the group of men clustered around the cabin. The men, their leader captured, ran into the cabin and yanked the door shut behind them.

Melman looked pleased with himself.

Alex brushed himself off, then helped Marty up. "Are you really okay, Marty?" Alex looked the zebra over.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Alex!" Marty grinned, "Ahh, it feels good to stand up again! Ow!" Marty tried to hide it.

Alex's eyes grew large, "Marty! You're hurt!"

"It's nothing, Alex." Marty massaged his left front leg, "It just got bruised or something."

With concern in his eyes, Alex put an arm around Marty, "Come on, let's get off this thing. It gives me the creeps."

Marty nodded emphatically, "You got it!"

Alex let Marty cross the gangplank first. He looked back and saw Gloria and Cora following him. "Melman? Melman! You coming?"

The giraffe was dancing around on the deck! "I like to move it, move…huh?" Melman stopped dancing. "Oh, yes!" he put on airs, "I, Melman Mankowitz the magnificent, fearsome giraffe will accompany you on your journey!" Melman stepped grandly across the gangplank.

"Wow, what an honor." Alex said dryly.

Marty chuckled, "I wonder how long Melman's going to have a big head?"

Melman suddenly froze. He looked around nervously, "My head's swelling? Oh, NO! I _knew _I shouldn't have hit that gun so hard!"

"Not long," Cora sighed.

The animals, excluding Melman, laughed.

"What if I got a concussion?" Melman cried.

"You'd be unconscious." Gloria pointed out.

Alex shook his head and walked to the gangplank, "It's time we went back to Madagascar, guys." He took the gangplank and put it back on the boat. Then he gave the "thumbs up" to the ship's cabin to let the penguins know they were all on board.

But the penguins weren't done yet. Skipper led his troop down the handrails of the cabin stairs to the deck.

"Someone needs to ensure that these criminals come to justice!" Skipper declared, "Boys, commence Operation Just Deserts." Skipper leapt into action, "Psychotic Lion! Replace the gangplank."

Alex did so, a bit hesitantly. _What are these guys doing? I just want to get out of here! We've got Marty, so let's go!_

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private marched onto the humans' boat. With military precision, they simultaneously headed for the cabin. They stacked themselves up to reach the cabin's doorknob. Then one by one, they entered.

Frightened humans huddled in a corner of the cabin. "The animals are getting revenge!" one man cried.

"I think it's aliens, come to Earth as animals!" another man hissed, "that's how come they can run a boat!"

Skipper shook his head in disgust, "And the world is run by these creatures." He gave each penguin a leg up to a station in the cabin.

"You know what to do, boys." Skipper nodded to them.

The penguins set to work adjusting dials and pulling levers. Once they were finished, they silently left the room.

Skipper and his penguins gestured to the animals on the cargo ship. "Mammals! Help us with this crate!" Skipper ordered.

Marty, Alex, Melman, Gloria, and Cora headed down the gangplank. Alex held Marty back. "Stay here," he said.

"Alex!" Marty protested. He was preparing to follow them anyway when the look in Alex's eyes stopped him. Marty stomped a hoof. _I've got to have a talk with that guy when he's in a better mood!_ Marty thought.

The zebra watched as his friends moved the large crate in front of the cabin door.

The boss man yelled at them, "I'll get you for this! All of you!"

Skipper wiped his flippers together in a satisfied way, "I doubt that. We're sending you humans straight to the authorities. I'm sure they'll be glad to find you all packaged up for them." The penguin turned away from the angry man, "Report back to the cargo ship!"

Alex led the way back over the gangplank. Cora kicked the big crate one last time, "Serves you right, you jerks!" she said.

The penguins were the last ones to leave the humans' boat.

"Ready to pull anchor!" Skipper shouted.

"Ready!" Kowalski and Private said. Rico grinned a yes.

"Execute!" Skipper ordered, holding one end of the gangplank. The penguins pulled up the anchor and the ship started moving. They hurried to the gangplank.

"Go,go,go,go,go,go!" Skipper said as his troops waddled quickly off the now moving boat.

Good thing the gangplank was long.

Skipper ran across just in time, pulling the gangplank on board behind him. "Mission accomplished!" he said.

The penguins slapped fins and each other.

"Yeah! We did it!" Alex cheered as the boatload of humans cruised away. He looked happily at Marty. Marty smiled, "Yeah, you guys did it!" The zebra looked a little sad.

Alex was about to ask Marty what was wrong. He was interrupted by Melman, who brought up an excellent point.

The giraffe looked around, "Well, now what?"

* * *

Alex shook his head and smiled amusedly. The liberated lemurs had decided that the trip was getting too long and boring. And they had felt like celebrating. One lemur had found the ship's loudspeaker and was singing into it. The other lemurs danced and drummed on old crates left over from when the Central Park Zoo animals had been transferred away from New York. The crates were now empty, and made great drums and dance floors. Gloria, Melman, Cora, and even the penguins had joined in the celebration.

Alex frowned. There was something missing from this party. Where was Marty? The lion wandered around to behind the cabin.

He found the zebra standing at the very back of the ship, staring off across the ocean, deep in thought.

"Hey," Alex said softly, approaching his friend.

"Hey." Marty didn't turn around.

Alex tried again, "You're missing the party."

"That's okay," Marty answered, "there will be other parties."

The lion leaned onto the railing, "I don't know about you, but I feel like tonight we should be celebrating!"

Marty waved a hoof in the direction of the party, "Well, I'm not stopping you. Go ahead and enjoy yourself, you earned it!"

"Aw, Marty, come on." Alex smiled sincerely, "It's not the fun side without you!"

Alex thought he saw Marty smile a little.

"I'm actually pretty tired, Al." the zebra yawned, "I don't think I'd be much fun."

Alex sighed and stopped smiling, "Okay, okay, what's this _really_ about?"

"Nothing." Marty turned and blinked at Alex.

"Don't give me that." Alex chided gently, "C'mon, Marty! I know you too well. I know something's bothering you, now what is it?"

Marty almost said something, then stopped. Then he blurted out, "Alex, we're still a team, right?"

"Of course we are!" Alex cried, "Why would you think we aren't? Why would you even _consider _thinking that we aren't?"

"I don't know," Marty looked down, "It's crazy, I guess."

"Sure it is!" Alex agreed, "We'll always be a team!"

Marty nodded _How can we be a team if we don't do things together?_ he thought sadly. "You're right, Alex."

Still a bit mystified by Marty's question, Alex nodded, "Yeah, well, I'm glad we got that cleared up."

Marty changed the subject, "So, what're we going to do when we get to New York?"

"New YORK?" Alex gasped, "Whoa! Are you nuts? We're not going to New York!"

The zebra stared openmouthed at the guy he thought he knew, "What? We're not? What do you mean, 'we're not going to New York'? We're so close! We've got the boat now, and we can go home!" _What is going on with Alex? _

"Look what happened to you last time we were 'so close'!" Alex pointed at Marty's leg, "Besides, the city is dangerous! It's too dangerous, Marty! All those people!" Alex shuddered.

It was now Marty's turn to be mystified. "Alex, you love people!"

Alex glared at the ocean, "Not anymore."

"Alex," Marty shook his head, "not all people are bad! They were great to us in New York!"

"New York. They kept us in cages; watched us every minute of our lives. No freedom, no privacy, and pressure to perform for crowds multiple times every day…"

"And you loved that, Al." Marty said.

"I did," Alex admitted, "I was disillusioned. Because of people, I almost lost you, not just once, but _several_ times, Marty! I can't go through that again! I can't!"

Marty looked seriously at Alex, "You can't let bad experiences mess with your life so much! So there are bad people in the world…yeah, but there are good ones, too. You gotta give New York another chance." Marty looked his friend in the eye, "I know you won't be happy until you do."

"Yes I will." Alex said stubbornly, "I'll be _very _happy!"

Marty gave Alex a knowing look, "No, you _won't._ New York is all you've thought about since we got here!""

"That's not true!" Alex denied, "I've thought about other things, too!"

"Like what?" Marty crossed his hooves.

"Um," Alex thought, "like…Steak!"

Marty groaned, "That doesn't count! Steak is _from _New York!"

Alex pretended to glare, "What about fish? I never had fish in New York! I'd miss eating fish if we went back."

"I don't know, there might be fish in the Hudson River that you could have!" Marty teased.

"YUCK! What are you trying to do, poison me?" Alex gagged, "If fish could survive in the Hudson, I am definitely not eating them!"

Marty chuckled, "I'm pretty sure the zoo could get fish from somewhere else."

Alex sighed and stared up at the starry sky. Two weeks seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had happened since that Saturday that the animals had been taken away from their carefree life in the zoo. Alex briefly wondered what day it was.

"Okay, Marty. You win." Alex relented, "After we drop the fuzzbuckets off on Madagascar, we'll head to New York."

Marty smiled, "That works for me! So, are we going to join the party, or what?"

Alex grinned, "That's more like it! Let's go!"

The lion and zebra headed to the noisy deck.


	10. New Beginning

"Start spreading the news!" Alex sang as he danced around. He was in Marty's hut back on Madagascar; supposedly packing for the trip. Alex was, however, too excited to sit still.

"I'm leaving today!" Marty chimed in. He was also supposed to be packing.

The both struck a dramatic pose, "We want to be a part of it!" they chorused, "New York, New York!"

At that moment, King Julien and Maurice walked in. Julien shook his head, "Why don't you sing 'I Like to Move It, Move It'? Your song is too short, and tricky to dance to."

"Oh, that's not the whole song," Marty explained, "there's more!"

"Yeah!" Alex grinned happily, "Sing it, Marty!"

Marty obliged, "These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray. And make a brand new start of it, New York, New York!"

Alex sang, "I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps. To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap…"

"These little town blues are melting away…" Marty added.

They both jumped up onto Marty's bar counter and sang, "I'll make a brand new start of it, in old New York. If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere! It's up to you, New York, New Yorrrk!"

Julien shook his head, "I still prefer 'I Like to Move It, Move It'."

"Hey, that's cool." Marty shrugged.

Alex grinned even broader, "Besides, 'New York, New York' makes more sense if _we _sing it."

"Hmm," Julien thought about this, "Because that is where you are from!" he declared, "Maybe I should make a song about Madagascar."

Maurice smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"You do that," Alex nodded amusedly, "You could sing it for us when we come back for a visit!"

King Julien frowned, "I wish you did not want to leave. What's wrong with our home?"

"Nothing's _wrong_ with it." Alex said, "It's just that we miss _our _home."

The lemur king nodded, "Myself, I can understand that. But the others, they do not. We will miss you, Giant Freaks."

Maurice agreed, "You've helped us twice, now. You got rid of the fossa, and the live people."

"Glad to help!" Alex said, feeling chipper.

"Now," Julien folded his arms, "Is there anything we can be doing for you?"

Marty thought. "Well, you could take care of our huts for us while we're gone."

Julien nodded in a kingly way, "Consider it done, Striped One. We will keep your lovely huts nice and cozy for your return."

* * *

Before they knew it, Alex, Marty, Melman, Cora, and Gloria found themselves standing in front of the ship. All of the supplies (including a huge crate of fish) had already been packed on board. It was time to say goodbye to Madagascar.

All of the lemurs had come to see them off.

"Y'know?" Alex mused, "I think I'm really going to miss this place."

"I know I am." Marty agreed.

Alex glanced worriedly at Marty.

"Don't worry, Alex. I'm excited about going to New York, too!" Marty reassured him.

"I can't wait to see New York!" Cora breathed, "I've been all over the African coast, and parts of America, but never New York."

Gloria smiled and sighed happily, "You are gonna love it, girl! Pamper city!"

"Of course I'll love it," Cora grinned, "I'm going there with my new best friends!"

Melman sighed at the tall staircase leading up to the boat, "I guess we have to go _up _again."

"Just forget that you have a fear of heights!" Alex said helpfully, "And don't look down!"

Melman took a step forward, hesitated, then backed up, "You guys go first." He said.

Marty bounded up, followed by Alex, who took the stairs two at a time. Cora giggled excitedly and trotted up the stairs. Melman waited.

"Oh, no, Melman!" Gloria said, "You are going up ahead of me! Go on, you can do it. You did it before!"

"That was before!" Melman protested, "This is now!"

Gloria gave him a push. The giraffe shut his eyes and stumbled up the stairs. The hippo followed him.

"Bye!" shouted the lemurs.

Alex pointed at them, "Look!"

The lemurs had arranged themselves by fur color so that they formed the words, "Bon Voyage" with their bodies.

Alex smiled as he waved to the lemurs, "Bye, little fuzzbuckets!"

The five friends waved from the ship.

"This feels familiar." Marty remarked.

"Yeah," Melman agreed, "Except last time, the boat didn't have gas in it."

"It does now!" Alex said proudly. Then he turned to Skipper, who was standing nearby, "Right?"

Skipper nodded, "All systems are go for departure," Skipper blinked, "Are you all present and accounted for?"

"Yeah, we're all here." Alex glanced around at the others.

"Then let's be on our way." Skipper hurried off to the cabin.

In no time, the ship was once again sailing away from Madagascar.

This time, maybe for forever.

* * *

It seemed like forever since the boat had left Madagascar. Cora was used to living on a boat, but the others had been asleep during most of the trip _from_ New York.

Each animal had their own problems with the long voyage. The penguins were bored. Gloria longed for a good soak in a pool. Alex felt pent up and antsy. Marty wasn't complaining, but he didn't seem like his usual happy self. Cora wondered how they were going to survive the trip.

The stars sparkled above the horse sitting on the cargo boat deck. The constellations reflected in her eyes. Everyone else was asleep, worn out from trying to keep themselves occupied. Cora took a deep breath of the air. It tasted strongly of salt.

_The horses back home would've loved this. _Cora's mind drifted through thought, _they always fought over the salt lick. I was never able to reach it. And now, I have more salt than I could ever want. I wonder what those horses are doing now? Probably sleeping in a barn. I always wanted my own stall, maybe with a nameplate on the door. _

"Hey, Cora!"

Startled, Cora jumped out of her daydream, "Marty! Hi!"

"I didn't mean to interrupt you," Marty said apologetically, "If you want, I can go somewhere else…"

"No, it's fine." Cora smiled, "I was just daydreaming."

Marty sat down beside her, "Really?"

Cora waved a hoof, "Yeah, I was thinking about what my life would be like had I stayed in the States."

Marty nodded, "I did that once with New York."

"Only once?" Cora cocked her head.

"Well, after that, it just got boring." Marty admitted, "Same old, same old. I mean, that's one reason I wanted to leave New York in the first place."

Cora frowned in confusion, "So…you wanted to go? I thought Mist…_Alex_ said you guys were transferred."

Marty winced, "Let's just say that my very short vacation earned all of us a very long vacation.

"Ahh," Cora said, "I see. And now you're going back."

"Yeah," Marty answered, "I hate seeing Alex so sad. He misses New York so much. He was a king there. Crowds came to the zoo just to see him. He really misses the special treatment and the popularity." Marty looked distant for a while, thinking about the world they'd left only weeks ago, and how much they had changed since then.

"So," Marty tried to start another conversation, What about you? How did you end up way out here from Kansas?"

Cora sighed, "I'm not from Kansas. I was actually born on a horse farm in Virginia. I lived there until I was a year old. Then some people came and took me away to a place called New Jersey, and that's where I grew up."

"No way!" Marty cried, "New Jersey's right near New York! Oh, but don't tell Alex that's were you're from."

"Why not?" Cora frowned.

Marty opened his mouth, closed it, and then answered, "Just don't."

"Okay," Cora shrugged, "Anyway, I was about five years old when that awful man took me to be his pack horse. I did that for four years. _Four years. _One day, I stumbled and accidentally spilled the gear. From then on, nothing I did was good enough. Except one thing. Occasionally, I could lure them an animal to trap."

Cora watched Marty's face, but he didn't seem bothered to be talking to a former murder accomplice, so she continued. She needed to tell this to someone, and she felt that she owed Marty an explanation.

She took a deep breath, "That was the only time he was decent to me. When he was mad, he threatened to throw me overboard. Then one day, luring small animals wasn't enough. The man said he wouldn't feed me until I found him a larger animal." Cora's blue eyes were wet and shiny like the sea.

"Me." Marty finished.

Cora looked down. "Yeah," she breathed.

"That's over, Cora!" Marty told her," That life is done! You can start over fresh in New York with us! The people would probably let you stay at the zoo. Or maybe you could get a job with the police or at the riding academy!"

Cora shook her head, "Oh, Marty, the police wouldn't take me with my record. However," Cora paused thoughtfully, "the zoo sounds nice."

"Um, sure!" Marty grinned, "You'll see, it'll be great. You can forget the past and live a whole new future!"

"Sounds good, Marty." Cora smiled. _I can't believe you can forgive me. But I'll never be able to forget what I did to you and your friends. I don't deserve you guys. But I sure am grateful that you gave me a new beginning._

Somehow, Cora couldn't say her thoughts out loud.

Marty yawned, "I'm going to hit the hay. I'll see you in the morning, Cora!"

"Goodnight, Marty." Cora called to the zebra, "Sweet dreams!"

* * *

Alex was not having sweet dreams. He tossed and turned and twisted in his bed that Marty'd built out of a crate. Finally, he opened his eyes. The lion groaned the stars. It was still night, with no sign of a sunrise.

_Go away. _Alex thought grumpily at the stars.

And they did.

"Huh?" Alex sat up, still looking at the sky. He blinked.

The stars had started to disappear behind clouds lit by moonlight. Why were the stars hiding?

The sleepy lion soon realized that the ship was drifting under a cloud bank.

"Great, just what we need, another storm!" Alex growled, flopping back down onto his bed.

"Alex! Alex!" Marty ran up excitedly, "Did you see it?"

"Yes," groaned Alex, "I saw it. Man, I hate storms."

Marty looked strangely at his best friend, "What are you talking about? What storm?"

"That one." Alex pointed at the clouds.

"Uh, Al?" Marty grinned, "That's no storm! That's smog!"

"Smog?" Alex leapt up and peered at the sky, "Smog! It's smog! We're near a city!" The lion danced around, "I love smog!"

Amused, Marty grabbed Alex's paw, "C'mon! I wanna show you something."

Alex was dazed. _We're near a city! Civilization! _He thought, staring at the back of Marty's head as the zebra led him to the front of the boat.

Alex's grin widened, then melted into a look of utter joy when he saw what lay just beyond the front of the boat.

"It's…it's..." Alex gasped, "is it?"

Ahead of the boat were lights, thousands of lights. Lights from streets, lights from skyscrapers, moving lights, flashing lights. The boat was moving smoothly towards the sea of lights.

"New York!" Alex leapt up and yelled, "Yeah! I'm home!" The lion stood on the rail at the front of the huge ship and raised his paws above his head, imagining a crowd waving at him, "I'm the king of New York!" he yelled to the city. Marty watched him, grinning.

On the other side of the boat, the other three were asleep.

"Medic!" yelled Melman, waking up. Cora and Gloria jolted awake.

"Awww, Melman!" Cora yawned, "Why'd you do that? I was just falling asleep!"

The giraffe looked around, "I thought I heard someone yelling! Pee yew!" Melman wrinkled his nose, "I smell air pollution!"

Gloria listened and sniffed. She heard yells coming from the front of the boat, and she smelled the air pollution, as well. The hippo put two and two together.

Apparently, so did Melman and Cora.

All three animals raced to the bow, where Alex and Marty were watching the city drift closer and closer.

Ahead lay home.

* * *

"Honnnnnnnnk!" The boat slowed down as it approached what Cora correctly guessed was the famous New York. She smiled at Alex, "We're here, right?"

"Right!" Alex cried joyfully. Then he frowned, "Wait a minute…what's that _thing_?" He pointed to a large round wheel with lighted spokes. It slowly rotated, appearing to float above the land mass in front of the boat. All around it were other strange lighted structures.

"That's Coney Island." Melman informed them, "We are definitely back."

Cora watched in delight as famous New York landmarks seemed to float past. A thick fog was rolling in, hiding the water as the big ship sailed into the Upper New York Bay.

The Statue of Liberty rose through the fog from her vantage point on Ellis Island. In the distance, the East River bridges twinkled with traffic. Manhattan itself glinted in the foggy darkness, with the Empire State Building standing proudly in the skyline.

Alex sighed blissfully.

The boat turned.

Alex squinted, then ran to the ship's cabin. He blinked at the penguins, who were busily running the ship.

"Uh, guys, that's the Hudson! The zoo is on the _east_ side of Central Park!" Alex cried.

Skipper looked Alex in the eye, "The bridges in the East River won't allow us to get through."

"Ok." Alex glared. _I should've thought of that._

A bit miffed, Alex returned to his friends. The boat kept sailing up the Hudson.

Cora watched in fascination as the city went past. Alex approached her.

"Not in Kansas anymore, huh?" Alex grinned at her, his ego having recovered from the penguins.

Cora breathed, "It looks wonderful! So pretty with all the lights! But…"

"But what?" Alex frowned.

"But…" Cora turned to Alex, "I don't see any pastures or grass. Just buildings."

"Of course!" Alex shrugged, "It's a city. There is grass in Central Park, though."

"Is that where we are going?" Cora asked.

Alex nodded to the city, "That's where we are going."

Up in the cabin, Skipper twirled the boat's steering wheel, causing the large ship to turn into a docking area on the west side of Manhattan.

"That, boys, is how you park a boat." Skipper proudly patted the wheel.

The boat slammed to a stop in the docking area, throwing all five mammals to the deck. Cora picked herself up and peered down over the edge of the ship. She knew it was a long way down, and it looked longer with the dock obscured by the dense fog.

Alex bounced to his feet, "Come on, guys! Let's go home!"

Cora glanced doubtfully at the gangplank still on board from the rescue mission, "How are we going to get down there?"

Undeterred, Alex grinned, "We'll use a ladder! Marty? Where's the ladder?"

"I'll get it!" Marty dashed down the deck.

In no time, Marty and Alex had the long bamboo ladder lowered from the boat to the ground.

"Wait," Cora said, "won't the people notice a bunch of animals leaving a cargo ship and running around a city?"

Alex's grin wavered a little, "Uh…"

"She's right," Gloria said, "remember last time we went for a walk through town?"

"Uh huh." Marty groaned.

Melman shuddered, "I do _not _want to repeat _that_ experience!"

"Well," Alex put his paws on his hips, "What should we do?"

Cora's eyes sparked a bit mischievously, "I have an idea…"

* * *

Cora, Marty, Melman, Gloria, and Alex all stood on the deck wearing their disguises.

"It's a good thing for us that the people left in a hurry." Cora remarked, donning a long brown coat and floppy hat.

Alex, wearing a blue shirt and suspenders, sighed, "I'm getting really good at picking locks. I can't believe how much luggage these guys packed! I think I opened more suitcases than there are in the whole of Manhattan!"

Gloria, hands on her hips, humphed, "It's not my fault these people were skin 'n bones! If they'd just had something that fit me…" She was wearing a coarse blanket tied around her body and neck, with holes for her arms.

"Aww, Glo, you make any outfit look good!" Marty grinned at the hippo. He slid a worn leather jacket over a black-and-white striped shirt and dark trousers.

Cora giggled, "Wow, that shirt is SO your color!"

"You think so?" Marty chuckled.

Melman struggled to get a shirt over his head, "I hope this isn't synthetic!" the giraffe's muffled voice said, "I'm allergic to all synthetics!"

Alex tried to help Melman, "Y'know, Melman? I'm not sure you're going to pass for a human."

"At least it's dark," Marty pointed out, "Dark and foggy."

The penguins arrived on the deck. They took in the clothed animals. Skipper nodded and stepped forward, "I see you have procured some camouflage. Are you prepared to depart?"

"Yes, SIR!" Marty saluted.

Alex's eyes glowed, "Let's go!"

The penguins slid down the ladder, followed by Alex. Marty watched the lion descend into the fog.

Next went Melman, very slowly, eyes shut tight, holding on for dear life.

Gloria followed the phobic giraffe. Once she disappeared, her voice came floating back up through the fog, "Come on, you two!"

Marty turned to Cora, "Are you ready?"

Cora smiled; it was a deep and sincere smile, "Yes, I am!"

Marty smiled back, "After you!"

Cora nodded prettily at him and then she, too, disappeared into the fog. Marty stood a minute on the ship before he followed her. _This is it. I'm going back to life in the city. _Thought Marty, _but at least everyone else will be happy. The zoo's not so bad! _He tried to convince himself. With a sigh, he stepped onto the ladder.

For a while, there was only Marty, the ladder, and darkness. Then his hooves met the ground.

He glanced around, locating his friends. The penguins were scoping the place out. Gloria and Melman and Cora were watching amusedly as Alex attempted to hug the ground. "I'm back! I'm home! I missed you soooo much, New York!" the lion crooned.

"Okay, guys!" Marty bounced, trying to appear excited, "Let's go to the zoo!"

Alex stood up and looked around, almost wildly, "Which way? Where do we go? Where are we?"

"West Side of Manhattan." Melman answered, "either that or New Jersey."

"Ugh!" Alex wiped himself off, "I hope not!"

Marty's voice called from somewhere in the fogginess, "It's Manhattan! That's the Empire State Building!"

Alex's eyes went worried, "Marty! Don't go running off alone!"

Marty reappeared in the darkness, "I'm right here, Alex."

"Don't do that! Stay where I can see you!" Alex told Marty.

Marty looked hurt, but he said nothing.

Gloria rubbed her head thoughtfully, "The Empire State Building's just down 5th Avenue from the zoo."

"So," Melman concluded, "We go to the Empire State Building, find 5th, and follow it north to the zoo. Sounds simple enough."

"This way, guys!" Marty led his friends in the direction of the Empire State Building.

They passed many cafes and restaurants. Delicious smells filled the air as the odd group walked down the sidewalk. Alex's blue eyes widened as they passed a seafood eatery.

"I should've eaten before we left the ship." Alex realized.

Alarmed, his four companions stopped and stared at him.

"Relax, guys!" Alex grinned reassuringly, "I'm not _that _hungry!"

"Shh!" Cora held up a hoof.

Several people passed the animals on the sidewalk. The people glanced at the animals, but didn't seem suspicious.

Alex, Marty, Cora, Gloria, and Melman sighed when the people were no longer close enough to hear them.

"It worked!" Alex cheered, hi-fiving Marty.

"Yeah, who's the…human?" Marty joked.

Alex grinned playfully, "No humans here!"

"Hey, where are the penguins?" Cora looked around.

"Who knows?" Marty shrugged.

"Who cares?" Alex said, "We're in New York! I still can't really believe it's true! We're on our way home!"


	11. Breaking In

Several blocks away, the penguins peeked around the corner of a very large department store. They waited until a group of humans approached the door, then they scooted through the door under the humans' feet. Once inside, Skipper smiled, looking at the walls and displays full of merchandise.

"This'll do nicely! Boys, commence operation Smart Shopper."

The penguins set to work.

* * *

"It doesn't look like it's getting any closer." Alex said, glaring at the Empire State Building.

Melman ducked another storefront canopy, only to run into a garbage can. The can fell over, spilling trash all over the sidewalk. The wind picked it up and caused it to join its fellow garbage in the street. Melman made a face, "Ugh, I forgot how _dirty _the city is!"

Something in a store window caught Alex's eye. "Hey, guys! Look at this!"

Everyone gathered around the window. There were TVs inside, all tuned to a news channel. A news anchorman stood in front of a picture of a cargo ship.

_The _cargo ship!

The anchorman began talking, "Just in from the South Atlantic, the missing sailors from the lost cargo ship have been found after two weeks."

Gloria sighed, "That's a relief!"

The anchorman continued, "…were found just off Cape Horn, Africa in several small lifeboats. Though very cold, they all seem to be alright. They will be headed home pending investigation, as the cargo ship was allegedly hijacked. The ship, containing the Central Park Zoo's former animal residents, remains missing. The boat was taking the zoo's feature attraction, Alex the Lion, to his new home in Kenya's wildlife preserve."

The camera pulled away to reveal an anchorwoman sitting next to the anchorman. She nodded at the man, "Well, I sure hope they find those animals soon, and that they are all okay." She looked straight out of the TV, "Alex, if you're out there, remember, New York misses you. We wish you the best."

The man smiled at the camera, "Now it's time for the late evening sports coverage. The Knicks pulled off an astounding comeback game, losing by only 6 points compared to the 28-point lead they gave Dallas the last game…"

Alex grinned, "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah," said Melman, "they lost again. What else is new?"

"Some things never change," Gloria remarked.

"They're getting better, only 6 points this time!" Marty pointed out.

"True," Melman and Gloria nodded. Cora looked confused.

Alex shook his head, "Not basketball, the news report! The people! They didn't mean to dump me on that…that…island!"

"Hey," Marty put his hooves on his hips, "I happen to have enjoyed 'that that island' !"

"My point is," Alex said, "they still love me! New York, _my _city still wants me!"

"I don't know, Alex," Marty said skeptically, "I mean, that was only one person."

Alex waved his paw, "It was on the news, so it must be true!"

"Guys, shhh! We better keep it down!" Cora nodded towards some people who were looking strangely at the clothed animals.

"Oh, right, right!" Alex whispered, "sorry!"

Melman squinted at the still-distant Empire State Building. "We should really keep moving if we want to get to Central Park by morning."

"Yeah," said Cora, "What time is it, anyway?"

"5:00 A.M." Melman said, "According to my inner clock."

Gloria shook her head and looked at the dark night's sky, lit only by the city lights, "Maybe it needs new batteries."

The animals began trekking through the city again.

"Guess I got used to dirt." Marty remarked, "This sidewalk seems really hard!"

Alex glanced at his feet. He hadn't noticed. He looked at how Marty, Cora, and Melman walked stiffly down the sidewalk as though their hooves were sore. Gloria didn't seem to have that problem.

"Sorry about that, guys." Alex apologized, "Once we get to the zoo, the ground will be softer."

"That would be nice." Melman sighed.

Without warning, Marty broke into song, "I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it."

Grinning, Alex joined in, "I like to move it, move it. We like to…"

"Move it!" A well-dressed lady carrying multiple shopping bags brushed past Alex, who was partially obstructing a door to a shop.

"Sorry!" Alex called to her, forgetting that she could only hear lion sounds.

The lady looked at Alex, screamed, and ran inside the shop, slamming the door shut behind her.

Alex looked perplexed, "Why do they always do that?"

"Don't worry, Alex." Marty reassured his best friend, "Once you're back in the zoo, they'll treat you like the top cat again. Everything will be just like it used to be!"

The lion smiled at his striped pal, "I know it will, except for one thing. We have Cora." The lion nearly frowned, but remembered not to. For some reason, it still bugged him that she had buddied up to Marty.

"So it'll be even better than it used to be!" Gloria exclaimed on Cora's behalf. She managed to smile at Cora and glare at Alex at the same time. Alex sighed. Nothing could get past Gloria.

"I think it's looking closer now than before!" Melman scrutinized the Empire State Building.

"Then let's go get it!" Alex led the way.

"Look where we are, 5th Avenue!" Melman cheered as he read a street sign, "And there's the Empire State Building!"

"The zoo is just up this way!" Marty started trotting north. Alex caught him by the tail.

"We'd get there faster if we took the subway." The lion said.

Melman shook his head, "I don't know, Alex. We'd have to go to the 34th Street station and take it up to Lexington, then walk over to the zoo. It might actually be faster to walk straight there."

"But the longer we're out on the streets, the more likely it is that we'll be found." Cora pointed out.

"Exactly!" Alex clapped his paws.

"Why don't we vote on it?" Gloria suggested.

"Okay." Everyone said.

"All for subway?"

Marty, Cora, and Alex raised their paws and hooves.

"All for the street?"

Melman sadly lifted a hoof.

Gloria nodded, "Subway it is, then."

"Cool!" Cora smiled, "One question, though."

"What?"

Cora blinked, "What's a subway?"

* * *

"Yeah! We're almost there!" Alex jumped up excitedly as the animals left the subway station.

Cora looked surprised, "That thing was fast! I think I feel sick!"

"Me too," groaned Melman.

Cora and the others began walking down the sidewalk toward Central Park.

"I can almost smell the steak from here!" Alex rubbed his stomach.

"Full plan healthcare here I come!" Melman perked up.

Gloria closed her eyes, "Mmm, you know it! I am going to soak until I shrivel!"

Marty laughed, Gloria didn't shrivel even when she spent all day in her pool! "That would take a lot of soakin', Glo!"

"That's my point!" Gloria sighed.

"Look!" Alex's voice was high-pitched and nearly a whisper, "There it is!"

Sure enough, ahead of the five friends was a large rectangle of green in the middle of the city. The green was interrupted by a vine-covered brick wall with signs reading, "Central Park Zoo" on it.

"It's really there!" Alex gestured toward it, "I mean, _we're _really there! _Here. _We're here!"

Marty caught Alex's enthusiasm, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Laughing, the five friends ran the rest of the way to the zoo entrance. A large red sign hung up on the gate. It read, "Closed for Renovation".

"Aww, it's closed." Melman said disappointedly.

Alex looked dismayed, then determined, "Of course it is! The zoo closes _before _sunset, remember?"

"What's this 'renovation'?" Gloria asked.

Alex scratched his head, "I don't know, I've never seen it before."

"Well," Cora sighed, "How are we going to get in, then?"

Alex's eyes glinted in the light from a coffee shop. "Don't worry, I have a plan!"

Melman shook his head, "I hate it when he says that."

* * *

"I thought getting _out _of this place was hard!" Marty said from inside a shrub.

"Shh!" A lion shaped plant said in Alex's voice, "We can't make a new hole in the wall because that would wake up the people! My other idea would have worked if the people hadn't patched up the hole Gloria made when we left!"

"What did you expect?" a tree said, sneezing, "They're people…they're paranoid. Oh no! Is this poison oak?"

"Melman!" a Gloria-sounding shrub hissed, "I'm pretty sure there's no poison oak in New York City!"

"But they might have planted some while we were gone!" the Melman-tree pointed out.

"Why would they do that?" a bush with Cora's voice asked, "People are allergic to poison oak!"

"Shh!" the lion plant said again, "here he comes!"

The shrubbery stopped talking as a night watchman strolled by, unlocking the gate to the zoo.

Involuntarily, one of the bushes began to shiver.

"NOW!" Alex yelled. Five plants dashed past the very startled night watchman and into the zoo. They planted themselves in various spots among the scenery.

The watchman blinked and exited the zoo, locking the gate, "I need some coffee, that's all. Just some coffee." He headed across the street in search of a 24-hour coffee shop.

Once he was gone, the five odd plants erupted.

"The oldest trick in the book!" Alex cheered, pulling leaves out of his mane. Melman dropped the branch he was holding in his mouth and shook off the ones on his body. Gloria, Cora, and Marty brushed leaves off of themselves. Worn out from the evening's activities, none of them said anything for a while.

"Is it just me, or is it really quiet around here?" Alex noticed. Even at night in the zoo, the animals snored.

"Of course, Al! Remember? All the animals are back on Madagascar except for us and the penguins." Marty explained.

"But," Alex frowned, "it's a zoo. Wouldn't they have gotten new animals by now? What's a zoo without animals?"

Marty shrugged, "Does it matter? There are animals here, now!"

"That's right!" Alex grinned, "Boy, won't the people be surprised to see us here!"

"I've been robbed!" Melman yelled. His voice came from his old house. The other animals rushed over.

"What do you mean?" Cora called to him.

Melman's head poked out of his house. He looked distraught, "There was over a hundred thousand dollars' worth of specialized medical equipment here when I left! It's all gone!"

"Some one robbed me, too!" Gloria cried from her pen, "They stole all of the water out of my pool! Why would someone steal water?"

Alex inspected his pen. "Where's my heat lamp?" he demanded, "And my den's been totally stripped! Even the Alex-cam is gone! How are my fans going to be able to watch me while I sleep?"

"Something is really, really wrong here." Marty surveyed what used to be his enclosure. It looked the same, minus one treadmill, a water trough, and hay in the bed. And, Marty noted sadly, his collection of Alex souvenirs was gone. All that was left was the mural on the wall, the one he'd always dreamed of living in.

The one that looked like Madagascar.

"Marty…" Cora gasped, looking at the mural.

"I know," Marty said.

Cora shook her head, "It looks just like that clearing, back on Madagascar." She glanced around at the empty space, "I gather that this isn't the way this place looked when you left?"

"No, not really," Marty pointed, "Over there was a treadmill, and over there was my water trough, that corner was my bed, and this spot was where I kept all of the presents that Alex gave me for my birthdays."

Alex's voice cried, "My name's gone!"

Marty excused himself from Cora and dashed to Alex's pen. The lion was staring in horror at the place on his house where his name sign used to hang. He stared at the spot, boring a hole into it with his clear blue eyes, "It's _gone_! It's not there anymore! I don't have a name anymore! I've been _erased_! From the zoo, from New York, from _existence_! I don't exist anymore!" Alex cried out, "You were right, Marty. New York doesn't miss me! They've forgotten me!"

Marty climbed over Alex's railing and approached his friend, "Alex…"

Alex was up to full-blown hysterics now, "They HATE me! Why do you hate me, New York?" he yelled at the city.

"Alex!" Marty grabbed Alex's shoulders and looked him in the eye, "They don't hate you! This is all some kind of a misunderstanding!"

Alex's eyes narrowed, "That began the night YOU decided to leave for Connecticut!" he growled. He instantly regretted it when he saw the hurt look in Marty's eyes.

"Marty, I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like…"

The zebra tried to act like Alex's comment hadn't bothered him, "Alex, it'll work out, you'll see."

"But," Alex felt despair draping over him, "it's all gone. All of it. Nothing's the same. Nothing's left. Nothing's here."

"I'm here." Marty tried to grin, "Man, I will always be here for you."

"So will we!" Melman said.

"That's right!" Gloria nodded.

Cora smiled shyly at Alex.

The discouraged lion looked around at all of his loyal friends. _Gloria, who is always willing to set me straight when I get too crazy and helps us all out of messes. Melman, who is great at offering a new perspective on things, and goes along with my nutty plans. Cora, who seems to like me even though I haven't been that nice to her. _His eyes stopped at his best friend of all. _Marty, who has been my friend since I was a cub. Marty, who stuck with me even when I was furious at him for getting us all transferred. Marty, who went into fossa territory just to find and talk to me after I tried to eat him. Marty, who saved my life from the mean people and almost lost his own. Marty, who gave up his dream to follow me back to New York. Marty, who is always there, happy to help me when I need him the most. _

_I am an incredibly lucky cat. _Alex thought.

"Thanks, you guys." Alex smiled warmly, calming down, "I really do appreciate it, even if I don't always show it."

Marty grinned at Alex, "We know you do, Al. And I can't blame you for getting upset about all of this." Marty gestured to the rest of the zoo, "I mean, this is a major disappointment!"

"I guess it's true what they say," Gloria sighed, "You can never really go home again."

"Yes you can," Cora looked up suddenly, "Home is where your heart is, right? So all you have to do is find out where your heart is, and that's where home is!"

Melman looked confused, "My home's in my chest?"

"Uh," Cora corrected, "where your heart is…metaphorically speaking."

Alex nodded, "Interesting."

Melman yawned, "I'm _so _tired. I think I'll…shnzzzzz." Melman fell asleep standing up near Alex's pen.

"I don't know where I'm gonna sleep, but I agree with Melman." Gloria said sleepily, "Goodnight, everybody."

Alex sighed at his empty house, "Goodnight, guys." He fell asleep under his nameless doorway.

Marty walked over to his concrete bed. He decided to sleep on the grassy ground instead.

Cora looked a little lost, and Marty noticed.

"Find a spot, Cora. The zoo's all ours tonight." Marty told her.

Cora smiled, "Hmm." She looked around, "How about there?" she pointed at a garden.

"Great choice!" Marty nodded, "I'll be over here if you need anything."

The animals bedded down for the night.


	12. A Lot at Steak

Marty rolled over in his sleep. His legs twitched. He rolled over again. His nostrils quivered and his ears flattened against his head.

_The smell. It is inescapable. Where's Alex? I can't get out! Concrete…humans…bit the hand. What hand? I didn't bite anybody's hand! Alex! Where are you? I'm sorry, Alex! I'm sorry I messed up your life so bad! Come back! No, help! Alex! Alex, the people…they're coming! They're coming for me…to take me away! Don't let them take me away from you again! Alex! Allleeeex!_

"Ahhh!" Marty jolted awake.

"Ahhh!" screamed a gardener, dropping his hedge shears.

"Marty! Are you alright?" Alex's head popped out of his doorway. He saw Marty lying in the grass, shaking.

"Ahhhhhhh!" the gardener saw Alex and screamed again. He turned and fled as fast as his legs would take him.

"What was that all about?" Cora walked over.

In a flash, Alex was at Marty's side, "Are you okay, buddy? What did he do to you?" Alex glared at the quickly departing gardener.

Marty coughed embarrassedly, "Nothing, It was just another stupid nightmare. That's all."

"Are you sure?" Alex stared into Marty's aqua-green eyes.

"Positive." Marty nodded, getting to his shaky feet.

Gloria gasped from beside her empty pool, "Marty, you're shaking like crazy! What happened?"

"Oh, no!" Melman cried, "what if it's Parkinson's disease?"

"Melman, you're not helping!" Gloria scolded.

Marty looked as though he wished he'd stayed asleep. "It's nothing, come on, just forget it."

"You're having nightmares again?" Alex asked Marty.

The zebra sighed, "Yeah…but I can handle it, guys." Then Marty looked at Alex and tried to hide a smile, "Uh, did you sleep in your clothes again, Alex?"

Alex looked down. He was still wearing the suspenders! He looked at Marty. "Speak for yourself, Popeye the Sailor Zebra!" he teased.

Marty grinned like himself again, "I call it the '_Sea _biscuit' look!" He modeled his sailor clothes.

Cora joined him. "Look! I'm a sea-horse!"

"And Gloria's a mermaid!" Melman added. Gloria smiled appreciatively and struck a mermaid pose.

All of the excitement of the past few days, coupled with the relief to be back home flooded out of the animals as they danced around the zoo yard. Alex shook his head; they were all being very silly!

"What is going on here? Why are there numerous quadruped animals here?" a voice chattered from a tree. Another voice answered, "That is a zoo! That is where the humans observe captured animals!"

"I am aware of that, Gwendolyn, but all the animals went to France or Brazil or someplace, did they not?"

"Africa."

"That is the one! And why are they wearing various sundry garments?"

Alex, Cora, Gloria, Melman, and Marty all looked up into one of the trees in Central Park. Alex groaned inwardly.

Squirrels.

One squirrel was plump and short. The other squirrel was thin and…short. They stared down at the animals from their lofty tree branch.

"They have discovered us! Shall we allow them to be honored by our continued presence?" the thin squirrel asked.

"Don't bother." Alex muttered.

The plump squirrel turned to her companion, "I believe they would fail to appreciate the numerous intricacies of our _elite _conversation."

Marty frowned indignantly at the squirrels, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh!" the thin squirrel fell dramatically into the plump squirrel's arms, "The ignorance! I can't stand it! Conversing with the ground walkers!"

The plump squirrel patted the thin squirrel, "It is okay, Robert. It's not their fault that nature never allowed them to evolve to our physical and intellectual capabilities."

"Why do you always force me to go through this, Gwendolyn?" the thin squirrel, Robert, moaned, holding his head, "They are so…" he looked down, "beneath us!"

Gwendolyn glared at Robert, "Do you honestly wish every single creature in this city to think we are uppity? Remember the instance with the pigeon?"

Robert groaned, "At least pigeons have the decency to leave the ground once in a while." The squirrel glanced pointedly at the five animals standing in the zoo beneath him.

"We don't have to take this!" Alex said irritably. He turned around, "Let's go, Marty. Why are we listening to them, anyway? Squirrels are notoriously lousy welcomers."

Robert watched in horror as the animals turned around, "How awful! What pathetic tails!" he wailed. He twitched his own long, full, bushy tail, the envy of all the squirrels on the East Side.

Cora swished her full tail, "Who were those rude animals?"

"Squirrels." Alex sighed, "They think they own New York. Between them and pigeons, it can be hard to get any peace."

Cora glanced back at the tree, "Seemed kind of prone to hysterics."

Melman shook his head, "Neurosis is the number one cause of a short life span among animals."

Alex, Gloria, Marty, and Cora all stared at Melman.

"What?" Melman asked, "It is."

Suddenly, the moans from the tree went quiet.

A smell got stronger.

Marty's legs tensed.

Alex grinned in spite of his thoughts about squirrels, "The people, Marty! The people are coming!" Alex said happily.

Marty forced a smile while at the same time trying to make his legs hold still. _This "flight instinct" stuff really stinks!_ He thought, barely able to keep it in check.

Alex was too focused on the figure headed toward the entrance gate to notice Marty's struggle, "Here they come! Places, everyone!"

Each animal went to their respective enclosure. Cora climbed over Marty's fence to join him in his pen.

The animals stood expectantly in their cages.

Alex fidgeted in anticipation.

Cora stood next to Marty.

Melman tried to look as sick as possible.

Gloria sat on the ground next to her empty pool.

A man opened the gate and two other men followed him inside. Alex could hear bits of their conversation floating to him on the soft, smoggy breeze.

"So we'll work…reptile house…today." One man was saying.

"Good…but can…tear down…old lion stage…build new zoo theater?" another man asked.

Alex gulped.

"No…boss said…reptile house today." The third man replied.

Alex sighed, relieved.

The men talked as they walked to the old reptile house, "Hey, look at that! I think the zoo had a visitor last night!" one man pointed to Cora's bed in the garden. There was a Cora-sized flat spot in the flowers.

"Ahhh!" One man looked up and happened to see Melman, neck hanging over, tongue hanging out, standing crookedly in his pasture. Alex almost laughed at Melman's ridiculous pose. _He obviously wants some attention! _Alex thought.

"It's a…an animal!" the man continued crying.

"AhhhhhH!" the second man screamed even louder than the first.

Marty accidentally bumped into Cora, "Sorry!" he whispered, unable to keep from tensing up. Cora glanced worriedly at the zebra. He looked as though he might bolt at any second.

The third man hissed to the second man, "Get the phone. Call the manager, and get a guard in here!"

The second man nodded and dashed to the office.

"There's a giraffe here, but how?" the first man scratched his head.

Alex stopped smiling and posing from his pedestal. These were not the right kind of people, and he doubted very much that they had any steak to give him. Steak. _Steak! I'm really getting hungry! This isn't good…_

Alex could feel his body complaining about his lack of sustenance. For a brief instant, he saw two unconcerned steaks working on the reptile house. He blinked. _No! Not now!_ He stared as they resolved themselves back into humans. But Alex knew it wasn't over.

The lion jumped down and ran into his house, hoping against hope that his hunger would wear off. _Not again! _He thought desperately. He sat alone for a few minutes, trying to clear his mind of the awful Marty-chase on Madagascar only two weeks previous. _What really terrifies me…is that it is starting to sound good again! _Alex fought his hunger down. But it suddenly intensified.

He caught the scent of all kinds of prey waiting just outside his brick house. The lion's heart sank. His friends were worried about him. _Go away! Please! Run far, far away!_ Alex wished as hard as he could.

"Alex?" Gloria's voice asked, "What's wrong, honey?"

Alex sighed. She might smell like dinner, but at least she didn't _sound _like it, "What's wrong? I'm hungry, that's what's wrong!"

Melman's concerned voice asked, "Oh, Alex, you mean…?"

Alex replied, "Yeah. So I'm not coming out. Ever. Bar the door, tranquilize me to kingdom come, do what it takes!" Alex pleaded, "And then get out of here before something bad happens that I can't control! Go back to Madagascar, go somewhere…far from me."

"Alex," Marty's voice came drifting into Alex's house like a two-week-old memory, "I'm not going back without you. It wouldn't be home."

It was all Alex could do to keep from crying. _Why does our friendship have to be like this? _"I don't want to hurt you!" Alex yelled, "Don't you understand? I couldn't live with myself if…if…" He trailed off, unable to finish the gruesome thought.

Marty's voice sounded determined, "Stay right here, Al. We'll come up with something to help you."

The lion sighed at his best friend's voice, "I doubt you can. This…_curse_ will probably be with me for the rest of my life."

Alex could imagine Marty's face as the zebra replied, "Don't worry. If there's a way to fix this mess, I'm going to find it! I promise!"

"I hope you do." Alex sighed unhopefully, "You have no idea how much I hope it."

"Right back at you!" Marty said, "But I think I have a plan…"

* * *

Marty eyed the vine-covered brick wall. On the other side lay Central Park. The zebra glanced across the zoo at Melman.

"Hey, Melman! Come over here!" he called.

The giraffe ambled over, "What is it, Marty?"

Marty put up his hooves, "Wait right there, okay?" He went to Cora, who was standing by Alex's cage. "I'm gonna need your help, you up to it?"

Cora shrugged, "So far I've hijacked a boat, overthrown poachers, snuck through the busiest place on the planet, and broken into a zoo. What's next?" She grinned at Marty, "I'm in!"

"Great!" Marty said, "Okay, guys huddle."

Cora, Gloria, Melman, and Marty stuck their heads together in a circle. They talked quietly among themselves.

"What?" Melman cried, "I don't like this idea…what happens if something goes wrong?"

"It's not foolproof, but it's all we have." Marty admitted.

Melman shook his head, "It's a big risk..."

"Do you have a better idea?" Gloria asked.

"No." Melman sighed, "I don't."

"Then let's do it!" Marty said enthusiastically.

Cora glanced toward Alex's house, "The longer we wait, the worse it'll get."

"Right." Melman relented, "Let's get it over with."

The giraffe put his head out over the wall. Marty and Cora slid down his neck to the ground.

"All right." Marty said, "Now where do we go?"

Melman stood up as tall as he could and scanned the park. He nodded and replied to the equines, "Go down that path, take a left, then take the second right. Keep going until you reach the pond."

"Thanks Melman!" Marty and Cora dashed down the trail.

"Good luck!" Gloria and Melman called to them.

Marty ran with Cora at his side. As he ran, he forgot he was in Central Park. He forgot he was in New York City. He was suddenly thousands of miles away, running through the jungles of Madagascar towards a blue pond in a pristine clearing.

"Marty?"

Marty snapped back to Central Park in time to see the pond rushing toward him.

"Ahhh!"

Unable to stop, he skidded into the pond, splashing ice cold, dirty water all over himself.

Surprised, cold, and embarrassed, Marty jumped out and shook himself to try to get dry. Because of the clothes he still wore, only his face and mane dried out. "Man, there is nothing like a little cold water in the morning to wake a person up!" he said to Cora.

Normally, she would have giggled, but she was in "mission mode". Cora blinked, "Marty, we've got a job to do."

"So let's get to it!" Marty joined her on the sidewalk. He scanned the area around the pond. "There's one!" he pointed to a stand selling hot dogs and warm drinks to the die-hard Central Parkers. Strings of sausages hung from the canopy of the stand. The steam rising from a cup of coffee looked very appealing.

Marty realized that the combination of being wet and being in Central Park in the dead of winter was making the zebra cold.

Cora scrutinized the stand, "How are we going to pull this off? We don't have any money, and even if we did, we don't speak human!"

Marty looked thoughtfully at the bushes behind the stand. He glanced at Cora, "I think it's time we pulled out some penguin moves!"

"Penguin moves?" Cora frowned.

"Come on!" Marty grabbed Cora's hoof and pulled her into the bushes next to the path.

They snuck along the bushes until they were directly behind the stand. Marty and Cora peeked out of the bushes.

A jogger jogged up to the stand, "I'd like a hot dog and some cocoa." The jogger said.

"Hot dog for breakfast?" Cora asked Marty, "New York _is _a strange place!"

"That's nothing!" Marty whispered, "you don't want to know what they eat for dinner!"

"Coming right up," the man running the stand said cheerfully. He opened a drawer in his stand and took out a hot dog bun. He knocked a mustard bottle to the ground, then bent to retrieve it, "What would you like with that, sir?"

"Now!" Marty hissed. He and Cora burst out of the bushes. They each grabbed a string of sausages and ran.

"Hey!" yelled the man at the stand, no longer cheerful.

"Run as fast as you can!" Marty yelled to Cora as they dashed back toward the zoo. They soon left the out-of-shape stand man in their dust.

Cora grasped the slippery sausages with her front hooves as she ran on two legs, "I'm not used to running like this!" she puffed.

Marty nodded, "This is how you run in New York!"

The zoo wall loomed ahead.

Marty and Cora skidded to a halt in front of it.

"Melman! We're ready!" Marty called, more than ready to get rid of the meat he was holding.

There was no response from the inside of the zoo.

Marty's senses went on alert, "Melman?"

Something was wrong.

Cora's ears pricked, "I hear something!"

Marty listened. There was some odd commotion that could barely be discerned over the normal city commotion.

"it's coming from that way!" Marty gestured with his head.

The two followed the wall until they were just around the corner from the zoo entrance. They peeked past the corner.

Quite a scene met their eyes.

Melman and Gloria were sitting in two large iron cages, no longer wearing their disguises. News cameras and reporters flocked around. Tourists and New Yorkers alike were gathering at the zoo in Central Park East. More arrived every minute. The New York City Mounted Police had been called in and were trying to perform crowd control. Zookeepers stood near the cages, attempting to keep people away from the animals.

"Oh no!" Marty gasped, "What are they doing? Where's Alex?" Remembering what happened last time Alex had been confronted by people, Marty gulped. He tried not to think about it. _Alex is okay, he has to be. He's probably in his house; he said he wasn't coming out. _

"I'll bet Alex is still in his house." Cora said, echoing Marty's thoughts, "Somehow we've got to get these to him!" She held up the sausages and shuddered at the smell.

The smell of the meat was getting to Marty as well. _Strange, steak never affected me this way in all the years I lived at the zoo. But I guess it was because I didn't know what it was made of. _"Right, let's go take these to him!"

"Wait!" Cora cried, "We can't just waltz in carrying a bunch of sausages!"

Marty took his awful smelling string and tossed it around his neck like a scarf, "Why not? That person over there is doing it." Marty pointed to a young lady wearing a reddish-brown scarf made from chenille yarn. It was lumpy, resembling sausages.

Cora sighed, "This is so gross." She tied the sausages neatly around her neck. They smelled like things that Cora didn't want to remember.

"Okay, _now_ we're ready!" Marty announced.

"If nothing else, we'll confuse them." Cora added.

The two linked front legs and strolled into the crowd, blending in. None of the people in the crowd seemed to notice a couple of very hairy and strangely-dressed individuals making their way to the front of the crowd.

Halfway to the front, Cora stopped. She shut her eyes and frantically unwound her sausages, "Marty, I can't…the memories…the awful memories…"

Marty nodded, "No problem, I'll take them." They bothered him, but Marty got the feeling they bothered Cora more. He added Cora's string to his own. They continued on.

Finally, they broke through to the front.

"When I say 'Go!', run for the entrance gate!" Marty instructed.

"Yes, sir!" Cora smiled.

Marty watched.

The policemen moved, leaving an open path between Marty and the gate.

"GO!" Marty bolted for the gate, followed closely by Cora.

"What? What was that?" the policemen said as Marty and Cora dashed toward the zoo gate.

"Catch them!" one policeman yelled.

Marty looked back to see a mounted policeman riding hard after them. In his head, he heard the policeman saying, "Bit the hand! Bit the hand!" Marty shook his head, "No I didn't!" He ran faster, not noticing Cora falling back.

The mounted policeman caught up with Cora and passed her, pulling his horse in front of her and forcing her to stop. Other policemen arrived and surrounded her.

Marty looked back again when he reached the gate. He saw what was happening. "Cora!" he yelled.

Cora called back, "I'll be okay, Marty! Get that food to Alex! It's our only chance!" She was visible in the circle of policemen for an instant. Marty's sea-green eyes met Cora's blue ones. In that brief instant, Cora conveyed to Marty what choice she wanted him to make. The zebra nodded sadly and hurried into the zoo to find his best friend.

* * *

Alex was asleep in his brick house, dreaming of steak. He had heard the men when they'd come to take Gloria and Melman away. But he had not allowed himself to leave his house to help them. It was too dangerous; for them, for the men, for him.

The lion awoke to a delicious smell.

"Alex?"

_Oh, no! It's Marty! _"Marty?" Alex croaked.

"Yeah! I'm back, Al!" Marty said to the darkness of Alex's house.

Alex's claws sprang out. Marty smelled even more delicious than he had earlier. Alex groaned, "Go away, Marty! Please!" the lion pleaded. He didn't know how much longer he could control himself.

"I've got something that will help you! At least until we can fix whatever it is that is making you this way…" Marty said.

Alex covered his face with his huge clawed paws, "It's too late, Marty."

"No it isn't, Alex."

Something long and skinny, like a rope, dropped into Alex's doorway. It smelled like meat.

"Marty?" Alex asked questioningly as his mouth watered.

"Go for it. It's for you." Marty dropped the rest of the sausages and backed away from the brick building.

"Where are you?" Alex asked. He didn't want to accidentally harm his friend.

"I'm out of the way." Marty reassured the lion.

Alex's muscles bunched. His hunger had no reason to wait any longer. The lion's eyes narrowed dangerously. His nostrils twitched as all of his senses focused on the string of cylindrical objects. All of the pent-up energy released as the big cat pounced on the sausages. Alex grabbed them in his jaws, piercing and slicing them and gulping them down. Gradually, the hunger in his stomach subsided, and the savage voice in his head faded away.

The lion sat back with a satisfied sigh.

"How's it going in there?" Marty asked.

Alex answered, "Great, Marty! Juuust great." He smiled, "Thanks so much!" The lion was enjoying the feeling of a full stomach.

"So, you're okay now?" Marty asked hopefully.

"Yep, for now." Alex replied.

"Okay, then! Let's go save Glo, Melman, and Cora!" Marty exclaimed.

Alex sat up, "Cora's in trouble? What's happening?"

"They all got captured by the people! We've got to help them, come on!" Marty's voice cried from outside.

"No." Alex said in a small voice, "I can't. I'm not leaving this building."

"What?" Marty was flabbergasted. He hadn't gone to all the trouble of getting the sausages just to have Alex spend the rest of his life sitting alone in a brick cave! Marty sighed.

"Fine." Marty said, appearing in Alex's doorway. "If you won't come out, neither will I." The zebra walked into the lion's den.

"What are you doing!" Alex yelled, "Get out of here!" he tried to push Marty out, "It's too dangerous in here for you! What if I get hungry again?"

Alex realized to his horror that his claws were still out. They had made holes in Marty's leather jacket.

"Aggh!" Alex backed away from Marty and sheathed his claws.

Marty was undeterred, "You will get hungry again. But I can't avoid you just for that! I can't live constantly afraid of you, but I can't not be around you! And _you_ have got to stop worrying about me!"

Alex closed his eyes and swallowed, "But you're not safe…"

"No one's safe a hundred percent of the time!" Marty exclaimed, "Not me, not you, not anyone! But if we're always worried about everything, we'd be acting like a bunch of Melmans!"

"I see your point." Alex said, imagining a world full of Melmans. The lion shook his head, it wasn't a pretty picture. "But you _would_ be safer if it weren't for me."

"And a whole lot lonelier." Marty added.

"You've got Cora." Alex pointed out darkly.

Marty crossed his hooves, "That's not the same, and you know it!" Marty looked upset, "You and I've been best friends for years, Alex! I can't even remember a time when I didn't know you!"

Alex sat in a corner, far from Marty. He stared at the floor, "Well, that time is over, now. We're too different." Alex wiped his nose, trying to cover a tear that slid down his face.

But Marty noticed.

"Al, I'm not going to let you give up." Marty said softly, "But right now, someone's got to help the others."

Then the zebra left.

Alex sighed. _Why does it have to be this way? Why did I have to be born a predator, and Marty to be born a prey animal? If only he was a lion, or I was a zebra, we could be friends forever! Poor Marty. He doesn't understand how hard it is for me when I get hungry…or does he? _With a start, Alex realized something. Ever since they'd gotten to New York, Marty had looked as though he was ready to run away. When things had gotten tense, he'd started shaking. _I wonder if Marty's dealing with these "natural instincts" as well? _Alex stared at the empty doorway. The light of early afternoon shone just outside, while Alex sat alone in the darkness.

_Marty's out there, doing who-knows-what, trying to help the others in spite of everything else. _Alex realized. _His instincts tell him to run away from me and the people. But he ignores those instincts because some things are more important. Like our friendship. _

_Like Gloria, Melman, and Cora. _

Light filled Alex's blue eyes with courage, "If Marty can do it, so can I !" The lion jumped to his feet and strode purposefully to the exit. He poked his head out and looked around. No sign of Marty or the people.

Alex bounded to the gate. He pushed it open, despite its being locked. The lion looked right, then left. Alex thought he caught a glimpse of something small and striped disappearing in the distance up the sidewalk.

"Marty!" Alex yelled, but the zebra couldn't hear him.

"Looking for someone, Psychotic Lion?" an overconfident voice asked from the ground. Alex looked down.

There stood the penguins, loaded with shopping bags.

"I'm looking for my friends, they were kidnapped by the people. Then Marty ran off to help…"Alex was interrupted.

"Save it, Kitty. We saw the whole thing" Skipper said slyly, "Better yet, we heard the whole thing. We know where the people are taking them."

Alex nearly grabbed the penguin, "Where?"

Skipper pointed, "The Bronx Zoo!"

"Thanks!" Alex said, and started running off the way Skipper had pointed.

"Halt!" Skipper ordered.

Alex reluctantly stopped, "What?"

"You don't know where the zoo is!" Skipper pointed out. The other penguins nodded.

Alex smelled something…odd. He sniffed harder. The lion could smell the scent of animals that had just passed by in that direction! "I'll figure it out." Alex said, puzzled by his new ability.

Skipper continued, "Wait! You'll need our help once you get there, to free your companions, then to make your escape!"

Alex hesitated for half a second, "Okay, whatever, but let's hurry!" He and the bag-lugging penguins ran for two blocks before Alex stopped again.

"Wait a minute! The subway would be faster!" Alex cried. He looked around, "There's a subway station on 68th street! I saw it on a map in the last subway I was in! I'll bet it would get us to the zoo!" Alex scanned for street signs. To his delight, 68th Street was right across 5th Avenue! To his despair, there were about fifty cars driving between him and his objective.

"Not a problem." Skipper said. He reached into a bag and pulled out a bunch of brightly-colored umbrellas. "People won't hit anything with their cars if they can help it." The penguin reasoned. He distributed the umbrellas amongst the group. "Skipper, may I have a yellow one?" Private asked. Skipper sighed and handed him the yellow one.

Alex took his two umbrellas from Skipper. He wasn't going to ask where and why the resourceful penguins had gotten them.

Six umbrellas opened, startling several drivers on 5th Avenue. They were further astonished to see a figure holding two umbrellas being followed by four more umbrellas. The four on the ground appeared to be walking by themselves, and dragging shopping bags! The group of umbrellas reached the other side, and life in Central Park East resumed normality. At least, as normal as it usually was.

Alex closed his umbrellas and handed them back to Skipper. He spotted the subway station and headed for it.

Once again, Alex was on a mission to find Marty.


	13. Different Directions

Marty ran up the sidewalk next to 72nd street, following the trucks containing his friends. _Where are they going?_ He thought as he passed block after block. Marty was in shape after running all over Madagascar for two weeks, but the trucks were accelerating. _No way can I keep up this pace much longer!_

The zebra galloped after the trucks as fast as he could. To his relief, they began slowing down. To his horror, they turned. The trucks merged onto Park Avenue and sped off, leaving Marty behind. Marty stopped and stared after them, chest burning from running full speed for ten blocks.

_If only I knew where they were going,_ Marty sighed, _I would find a way to get there!_

"Come on, come on!" Alex sat in the subway train, glancing impatiently out the windows, looking for station lights. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

Skipper ignored the lion, who had been engaging in similar activities since they'd gotten on the train. Private worriedly watched Alex. Kowalski was engrossed in comparing his notes to a map of Manhattan that was lying on a bench. Rico happily watched as safety lights zipped past the windows. The three humans sitting in the car were as far away from the lion and strange penguins as they could get.

At last, the train stopped and the doors opened.

"Feast the want have renew nation! Door stop for the Bronx Dew!" the loud speaker announced.

Alex shook his head and stood up, "I'm going to guess that this is our stop."

Skipper turned to his first officer, "I want no mistakes. Kowalski? Can you translate that message?"

Kowalski shook his head, "Negative, sir. It must be a code designed to sound like gibberish."

"Um, Skipper." Private interrupted.

Skipper turned again, "What is it, young Private?"

Private gestured out the door, "Weren't we going with him?"

Skipper looked. Alex was already through the turnstile and heading up what appeared to be a very long flight of stairs.

"After that psychotic lion!" Skipper ordered, pointing a flipper. The penguins grabbed their bags. One after another, they slid on their bellies down to the end of the bench. They hopped off and waddled to the door just as it shut directly in front of their beaks.

"Funnel cakes!" Skipper exclaimed.

The train began moving again.

Alex climbed the last step out of the subway station. He looked back and saw a few people who had gotten out of the same train that he had. The lion briefly wondered where the penguins were. However, he was distracted by a sign that read, "Bronx Zoo Asia Gate" two blocks away.

_Guys, here I come. _Alex thought, heading for the sign.

* * *

"We've stopped." Cora said when the rattling, jarring, and sliding finally ceased. "Melman! Are you okay?" she asked.

Cora heard a yawn from somewhere else in the dark truck.

"I'm fine." Melman sighed, "I was just dreaming about having a CAT scan. A very _bumpy_ CAT scan." The giraffe added. Then he gasped. "Oh no! No! I've gone blind! This is awful! What happened?"

"Melman…" Cora began to explain.

Suddenly, light flooded the inside of the truck.

"Now I see a bright light!" Melman yelped, totally panicked, "Am I dead?"

"If you are, then I am, too." Cora blinked, trying to get her eyes to adjust. She could make out the form of Melman's cage being rolled out to join another (Gloria's?) cage.

"Ohhhh, I am sooo dizzy!" Melman moaned.

As soon as the cage reached the ground, Cora heard Melman shout, "Where am I? Oh! I'm home!"

Then the men came back to the truck. _Come on, hurry up. I want to get out of here._ Cora thought.

But everything went dark again as the men closed the back of the truck.

"HUH?" Cora shook her crate, "Hey! Wait! What about me? Hello?"

She heard voices outside, Listening carefully, she could just barely make out what they were saying.

"What should we do with the horse?"

"There's not too many places to take a horse in New York City."

"I know, but she's gotta go somewhere. I'll bet Claremont's got some room, at least temporarily."

"Fine, just get her out of here."

"Will do."

The engine started again, jolting and knocking Cora off her feet.

"Ouch!" She sat up and held on as the truck left the zoo.

Then Cora realized something.

She was all alone in New York City.

* * *

Marty walked down 5th Avenue, all alone. He was tired, but not ready to give up yet. _I'll go back to the zoo and find Alex. Maybe he will know what to do. If he will even talk to me._ Marty sighed. Things were not looking good for the Zoosters.

Marty shivered, this time from the cold. The wind had picked up, blowing right through the holes in his leather jacket and the wet shirt.

The zoo was three blocks away, then two blocks, then one. Marty saw the gate hanging open. The "closed for renovation" sign hung awry.

"What happened here?" Marty ran into the zoo and headed straight for Alex's pen.

"Alex?" Marty called, "Alex!"

No answer came from the brick building.

"Alex, come on, I need you, man!" Marty cried.

No reply.

Marty walked up to the building and called into the doorway, "I'm coming in there!"

Silence was all that came from the doorway.

Shrugging, Marty walked confidently into the building, and then stopped.

This whole time, he'd been talking to an empty building.

Confused, Marty backed out and faced the silent zoo. He didn't see the lion anywhere! It didn't make sense! Unless…

_Unless Alex decided to join me! _Marty thought. _But in that case, he's probably long gone by now. I wish I knew where they were headed. I'll bet Alex knows somehow, and that's where he went. _

Marty caught sight of movement in the trees in Central Park.

_I wonder if those nosy squirrels know? Maybe they heard something that could at least point me in the right direction. _

Marty ran outside the zoo and tried to locate a tree with a squirrel in it. It didn't take long.

"Excuse me, uh, squirrel!" Marty called up to the tree.

The squirrel turned. It was Robert, one of the squirrels from that morning! "What do you wish of me, ground-dweller?" the squirrel sighed.

Marty looked the squirrel straight in the eye, which didn't produce as unnerving an effect as Alex's unwavering cat gaze. But it helped a little; Robert squirmed. Marty asked, "I was wondering if you'd seen what happened to my friends."

The squirrel sat on a branch and crossed his tiny arms, "I saw what happened, what of it?"

"Do you know where they are?" Marty asked.

"Of course!" Robert waved a paw, "I know all that occurs in this city!"

Marty grinned, "Great! Can you tell me where they went?"

The squirrel looked mortified, "What? Reveal personally obtained information to a lawn-consuming earth walker such as yourself? No offence, of course; however, I refuse."

Marty's eyes opened sarcastically, "Okay…well…bye then." He turned to go.

"Wait!" a distinctively female voice called, "Stop right there, fellow mammal!"

Marty stopped and looked up. The woman squirrel had joined Robert on the branch. Gwendolyn was her name, Marty remembered.

Gwendolyn turned to Robert, "You should be ashamed of yourself, tossing invective around as if it were foliage! Apologize to the underprivileged creature at once!"

Robert winced.

"And answer his inquiry!" Gwendolyn demanded, "Or you will slumber outside tonight!"

Robert moaned, "Yes, Beloved." He mumbled under his breath, "Why did no one warn me when I married you?"

"Are you going to converse or mumble?" Gwendolyn asked impatiently.

Robert grudgingly nodded to Marty, "I am regretful of my words. And your friends went to the Bronx. That is what I know."

"They went to the Bronx _Zoo._" Gwendolyn answered angrily, "Robert, you are on slender ice!"

Robert glared, "Yes, the Bronx _Zoo. _That is precise, I remember now."

Marty hated to ask, but he did anyway, "Where's that?"

Robert sighed tiredly, "It is _somewhere _in the Bronx, you pathetic…" Robert caught Gwendolyn's glare and changed the direction of his comment, "Honestly, if you can not locate it, well, _everyone _who is _anyone _knows where it is."

Marty looked disappointed, "Okay, thanks a lot." _I'll just have to ask somebody else. At least it's a start! _Marty thought.

He had no doubt that he'd find it eventually.

* * *

Cora did not like Claremont. She stood in a dark, narrow stall in a building full of other horses. It was clean, but still felt terribly confining. She longed to get outside and go for a nice long run. Closing her eyes, Cora imagined herself back on Madagascar, running on the beach. Like when she first met Marty. Sandy wind blowing her mane back, the sea rushing around her legs. Hoofbeats thumping in the sand.

Cora's daydream intensified as she drifted off to sleep. _She and Marty ran side by side on the beach, next to the sparkling blue ocean. She tossed her mane flirtatiously and laughed. Marty grinned at her as they ran, a special grin that he reserved only for her. The sand turned to clouds beneath their hooves as they galloped on and on into infinity._

Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. Cora was awakened by the sound of the horse in the stall next to hers being led out to go to work in the arena downstairs, on the ground floor of the four-story building.

She sighed and stared boredly out her window. Her ears pricked when she spotted four familiar figures walking down the street outside! They appeared to be lugging shopping bags.

Excited, Cora turned around and left her stall, heading for the ramp to the next lower level.

"You're the new girl, aren't you? Where are you going?"

Cora stopped in her tracks. She looked back to see a horse looking curiously at her. To Cora's astonishment, the horse was brown with white patches! Cora couldn't help staring at the horse, "Uh…"

The other horse smiled, "I'm Mocha! What's your name?"

Cora swallowed, "Cora." She answered, "Um, you have spots, too." Cora inwardly kicked herself. _Wow, Cora, that was an extremely intelligent thing to say._

The other horse nodded, "Yep, I'm a paint horse just like you! You know if you end up staying here, I'll bet you'd be popular! The people who ride here love to ride pretty, unique-colored horses like us, especially the kids. They give me treats, even though they're not supposed to. Do you like kids?"

"I…I don't know." Cora blinked, "But I have to go."

The horse frowned, "Why? I like you."

"Because my friends are still out there, and I have to find them." Cora glanced back to the window, "They might need help, and I miss them."

The spotted horse looked a little sad, "Whatever, but you're missing out on an opportunity, here."

Cora smiled a little, "Well, enjoy it. I'm not really much of a city girl, myself. Bye, now." She trotted off. _A paint horse. I'm a paint horse. There are others like me. _Cora skidded down the ramp and dashed through the second level of stalls. This attracted the attention of several stable grooms. They tried to grab her, but failed. She skidded down another ramp to the ground level. There was the door to the city street. It was open. But not for long, a person was moving to close it! Could Cora make it?

She took a flying leap over some equipment that someone had left carelessly in the aisle. Cora raced for the door. Several of the stable hands raced after her. The door was nearly too far closed, so Cora jumped again, landing clear of the riding academy! She looked back to see the stable hands following her outside.

Cora started running again. She heard one right behind her calling the cops on his cell phone. She groaned inwardly. It seemed that no matter what she did, she couldn't avoid running from the police! She had to do something.

The mare rounded a corner and ducked into an alleyway, watching as the stable hands ran past.

Sighing with relief, Cora peeked out of the alleyway once she could no longer hear the stable hands shouting at her. She looked left and right; no more people chasing her! The mare headed for the spot where she had last seen the penguins, hoping that they hadn't gone far.

They hadn't.

"Penguins!" Cora called.

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private turned around. "Well, if it isn't our other monochromatic friend!" Skipper declared.

"I am so glad I found you guys!" Cora exclaimed, "What are you doing here? Where have you been? I haven't seen you since yesterday! Where are you going?"

Skipper looked Cora in the eye, "Two of our civilian friends have been captured by the people and taken to a place called the Bronx Zoo."

"I know," sighed Cora, "I was there."

The penguin leader continued, "Our rescue efforts were hindered by a…train mishap which caused us to abort and regroup here. We decided to stow our gear at the ship and formulate a plan of action."

"Okay," Cora nodded, "Let's go then. What are we waiting for?"

Skipper ordered, "Kowalski! Take the navigation position!"

Kowalski took the lead.

The five black-and-white animals headed for the place where they'd left the boat.

* * *

Alex walked through the zoo, enjoying the familiar atmosphere; people talking, children laughing, animals milling. All that was missing was a crowd shouting his name and snapping pictures of him. But Alex was now on the other side of the fences, mingling with the zoo guests.

It was strange not to be the center of attention at the zoo.

"Look! A lion!" a little kid pointed at Alex.

Alex froze. The jig was up. His cover was blown.

The little kid ran up to Alex and gave him a big hug, "Get a picture, Mommy! Get a picture of me and the lion!"

Alex saw the parents' amused looks and breathed a sigh of relief. _They think I'm one of those humans in costume! _Alex smiled for the camera, then waved as he continued down the path. The kid waved back.

_That was close!_ Alex thought, shaking his head. He looked around, "Hmm, looks like I made it to Africa." He read a sign that said, "African Plains."

"This is where I should find Melman and Gloria." Walking along, he peeked into several exhibits. In one, there were several large brown-and-tan creatures sleeping on a rock, basking in the occasional sunbeam that broke through the dense clouds.

_Lions!_ thought Alex with alarm. It hadn't occurred to him that he might meet members of his own species there. _As long as they don't see me…_

The big male lion's nostrils twitched. He yawned and blinked, looking directly through Alex as though he was invisible. Then he grunted and fell asleep again. It didn't seem to bother him that people were taking his picture while he slept.

_What a life._ Thought Alex, _he's obviously not a performer. _The disguised lion continued down the path.

Alex's sensitive ears picked up strange distant sounds coming from the enclosure to his left. They were somewhere between a chirp and a bark. He peeked in and his mouth dropped open. On the other side of the "plains", a herd of zebras ran as a group across the simulated savannah. The striped animals stopped at a pool of water and drank.

"Wow." Alex shook his head in amazement. He'd never seen so many zebras in one place before! One lifted its head and smiled at another one. It reminded Alex of Marty's goofy grin when he was feeling content. With a pang, Alex wondered where his favorite zebra was. _I sure hope he's okay. Maybe he's around here somewhere. Maybe he made it here ahead of me! What am I thinking? He was on foot, and I doubt he'd have taken the subway. He's probably not past Central Park yet. But he will get here. I hope. Once I get Gloria, Melman and Cora out of here, we can go back and find Marty. _

Alex was now on the other side of the "African Plains" path loop. Several tall creatures caught his eye. Giraffes! He happily quickened his step. Maybe Melman was with them! Alex finally reached a tall building with a sign reading, "Carter Giraffe Building". Three giraffes stood in the paddock.

"Melman?" Alex called to them.

One giraffe turned around, "Alex! I'm glad you could make it!" Melman exclaimed, loping up to him. Melman was followed by the other two giraffes.

"Are you okay, Melman?" Alex asked his friend.

Melman answered, "Well, I hope so. The people _didn't _have us go through quarantine, and who knows what I brought back with me from Madagascar…"

"Melman?" Alex asked pointedly.

The hypochondriac giraffe sighed, "Yeah, sure Alex. I guess for now I am."

"And who are your friends?" Alex asked of the other giraffes. One was a lady giraffe, kind of pretty in a motherly way. The other was a male who looked like an older version of Melman.

Melman's face lighted up, "Oh! These are my parents! Mom, Dad, this is Alex."

Alex grinned, "Pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Mankowitz."

"Oh, please, call me Mitchell." Mr. Mankowitz said.

"And I'm Mimi!" Mrs. Mankowitz added.

Mitchell cocked his head, "What's your last name, Alex?"

Alex looked surprised, "I guess…I don't have one."

"No? Well then how do you know who your family is?" Mitchell asked.

"I don't." Alex answered.

There was an awkward silence.

Mimi smiled blankly at Alex for a moment, then she blinked her extremely long eyelashes, "Well, come on in! It's getting cold and dark out here!"

"Yeah," Alex agreed, "The sun's going down." _I hope Marty and Gloria and Cora are inside. It feels like it could get below freezing tonight. _

"No it isn't." Mitchell said as they walked inside the tall giraffe building.

"What?" Alex asked, confused.

"The sun doesn't go down." Mitchell explained, "The earth actually rotates around the sun. I read it in a book."

Alex blinked. "Okay."

Mimi smiled fondly at her husband, "Now, dear, let's not bore Alex with the details. Why don't we let these two chat for a while?"

Mitchell nodded, "Okay, I'm pretty tired anyway. I'm going to…shnzzzz." The giraffe walked snoring into the back room.

"Goodnight, you two. Don't stay up too late, okay?" Mimi followed her husband.

Melman sighed sleepily, "Well, now you've met my parents."

"Yeah." Alex said, "They seem nice."

"They are." Melman replied.

"So, have you seen Gloria and Cora?" Alex asked.

"Mmm?" Melman sank back against the wall, "Well, Cora didn't get off the trucks with us, but I heard that Gloria was taken to a pond somewhere out in the plains."

"I bet Glo's okay, then," Alex sat down, "She's been dying for a swim since we left Madagascar."

"Mmm hmmm." Melman's eyes closed.

"What about Marty?" Alex asked, "Have you seen him?"

Melman's right eye opened, "I thought he was with you!"

Alex's heart sank. So Marty was definitely not at the Bronx Zoo. Which meant that the zebra was all alone somewhere in the city.

_Don't be silly, Alex! He probably went back to the Central Park Zoo for the night! Of course he's not out in the city, all alone, at night!_

"Shnzzz." Melman snored.

Alex sighed and curled into a ball in the warm straw. He hoped that his other friends were warm and safe as well.


	14. The Other Jungle

_I'm out in the city alone, at night. _Marty thought, walking up 5th Avenue. _It didn't bother me before. Kinda reminds me of that night I was out in the jungle. The night I met Cora. _He passed a very large building. A sign announced that it was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Marty frowned. He hadn't gotten very far in all this time. But he'd stopped to ask directions several times. No one seemed to know how to get to the Bronx Zoo.

Street lights and store signs lit Central Park East like daylight. Marty continued his trek down the sidewalk. His hooves hurt from the constant pounding on the sidewalk. He was cold and still wet from his early morning "shower". But he was determined to find this Bronx Zoo and find his friends!

_They're probably worried sick about me. _Thought Marty, _I hope they're all okay. _

Not one of the pedestrians paid any attention to the forlorn figure in the battered leather jacket. This suited Marty just fine. He didn't want anything or anyone to slow down his journey to the Bronx Zoo. Marty had no idea how far away the zoo was, all he knew was that it was to the north.

So that's where he was headed.

* * *

Cora lay in her bed on the boat, staring up at the blank sky. The mare couldn't help wondering what her friends were doing at that moment. Especially Alex and Marty. _I hope Marty was able to help Alex. I would hate to see anything come between those two._

The penguins were all asleep in the cabin. Cora shivered and pulled the pile of gunnysacks up closer to her chin. She could see her breath illuminated in the pale glow of the dock lights. The five animals had agreed to launch their rescue plan in the morning when it would be warmer and they would have the sun to see by.

Of course, the penguins had failed to tell Cora what this plan _was. _She turned over. _What do those penguins have in mind? _

Cora snuggled into her gunnysacks. Slowly, reluctantly, her eyelids drooped and she fell asleep.

In the cabin, the four penguins slept in crew bunks. Rico turned over in his bunk and made chopping motions with his wings. Skipper mumbled orders in his sleep. Private smiled, eyes closed, having a wonderful dream. Kowalski slept soundly, still clutching his writing pad. All were resting up for the big day ahead of them.

* * *

Morning came too quickly for Alex. He blinked his sleepy eyes and yawned. _I wonder what's for breakfast?_ The lion's groggy mind asked, _I wonder where I am? _

"Huh?" Alex sat up, awake. He was in a strange, extremely tall house! He was lying in hay! Melman was across the room, lying flat on his back, with a hay bale as a pillow.

"Good morning, boys!" someone said. Alex looked up, it was Mimi Mankowitz.

"Ahhhchoooo!" Melman woke up. He rubbed his nose, "Oh my! I'm allergic to hay! I forgot! Oh, I'm breaking out in spots! Call the doctor!"

Mimi comforted her son, "Melman, you were born with spots, dear."

"Oh." Melman settled down, "Achoo!"

"Gesundheit." Alex said.

"So did you sleep well?" Mimi asked kindly.

Alex decided not to tell her about the tossing and turning, the nightmares, and the waking up in the middle of the night yelling for Marty and Gloria. "Yes, I slept fine. Thank you."

Mimi beamed, "Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

Alex gulped, "Uh, I better not. I have a few things I need to do right now, anyway."

"We'll save you a few bites." Mimi smiled at Alex.

Alex nodded uncertainly, backing out of the house, "You eat as much as you like, I'm going out for breakfast."

With that, Alex turned and ran out of the house. "Yikes!" The ground was cold and wet. Snow. Alex dashed across the giraffe yard, shaking his paws after each step.

Mimi and Melman watched him go.

Mimi shook her head, "What a strange friend you have, son."

* * *

Alex groaned at the snow. _This isn't just a very long dream. I really am in New York in the dead of winter, at a strange zoo with Melman and his parents! I really have no idea where Marty and Cora are, and I know Gloria's around here somewhere. Those psychotic penguins are running loose in the city. Somehow I've got to get us all back together! _

"I need to find Gloria." Alex stated. He shook his feet to dry them once he reached the other side. Sliding easily through the bars in the gate, Alex started down the path, watching for any sign of the hippo. He saw large spotted cats, zebras, and some odd-looking prey animals with horns. But no hippos.

"Rrrooooaaaarrrrhh!"

Alex jumped at the sound of a lion's roar. He saw the male lion from last night standing on a rock, clearing his throat. The male lion surveyed the area. Alex had no time or place to hide.

The inevitable happened.

"What is _that _doing in my zoo?" the other lion drew himself up and fluffed out his mane. Fire shot from his brown eyes. He was older than Alex, and a bit larger. He was tan, with a light spot around his mouth. Tan faded to black on the edges of his mane. The lion stared hotly at Alex, but Alex wasn't intimidated by the macho act. After all, he'd used it several times, himself.

Alex stopped walking and smiled confidently at the other lion. "Hi, there! Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude or bother you or anything. I'm just taking a stroll here. Looking for a friend, actually. Then I'll be out of your hair. Mane." Alex corrected himself.

The other lion snarled and leapt off of his rock toward the enclosure fence, "What are you doing in that getup?" The lion narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? You got a name?"

"Alex." Alex answered, trying to keep a cool, confident look on his face.

The other lion was now face-to-face with Alex. "Hmph." The lion snorted in his face, "You were named by the people, weren't you? Unimaginative creatures. Myself, I got stuck with the handle of George."

Alex liked his own name, but he didn't say so. He just nodded.

George scrutinized Alex. The bigger lion's mane flattened back to normal.

_How does he do that? _Alex wondered.

George nodded once, "I guess you're okay. But you can't walk around loose out there. I hate to say it, but you need to get in here. Stay away from the ladies, though, or else." The big lion gestured to a group of lionesses lying on a rock a short distance away. "If the people find you here, we're all in trouble."

"I have to find my friend…" Alex protested. He didn't like where this was headed.

"And you will. In fact, I'll even help you. After you get your tail in here and get rid of the filthy rags." George said.

Alex relented. _Maybe this George guy knows where Gloria is. _He reasoned, _After all, it _is _his zoo. He might even have a clue where Marty and Cora are! Better to cooperate with him. I don't want to fight him. _

George watched as Alex removed the sailor clothes and hid them under a bush. Alex swiftly hopped the fence.

"Good." George said, "Now about this friend, he's here in the zoo?"

"She." Alex answered, "She's here. Her name is Gloria."

George raised his eyebrows, "Oh, I see. You already have a lady, then."

"Uh, no…it's not like that," Alex explained, "She's a hippo, and she arrived here yesterday. We're all from the Central Park Zoo."

"All?" George questioned, hair rising a little.

Alex sighed, "Me and my friends."

George stared into Alex's eyes, "What are they?"

Alex stared back, "They aren't lions, if that's what you're worried about. They're all prey animals."

To Alex's surprise, George nodded, "Okay." The older lion acted as though it wasn't unusual for a lion to be best friends with a bunch of prey animals!

Alex closed his gaping mouth, "So do you know where Gloria is?"

George stroked his light-colored chin, "Hmm, I don't remember any hippos, but then I was asleep yesterday. Sleeping through the day, active in the evening, you know?"

Alex didn't know, but he nodded anyway.

"Probably," George frowned, "you should ask the herbivores. Your hippo friend would undoubtedly be with them."

"Great! Where are these herbivores?" Alex asked excitedly.

George pointed, "Over there."

Alex's mouth dropped open again. There was a herd of gazelles _in the same enclosure as the lions!_ "The people put them in here with you?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh, no! Of course not!" George said, "There are moats between them and us! That way, the people can see us all in our 'natural environment'. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing 'natural' about it. But it sure is a great illusion, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Alex stared.

George nodded, "The moats shouldn't be too hard for you to cross. Totally unnecessary now, the people shouldn't have bothered. Not that I blame them…" He stopped, "Oh, don't let me ramble. Good luck finding your friends."

"Great! Thanks, George!" Alex started heading for the gazelles. It was a few moments before George's words sank in. "_Totally unnecessary now, the people shouldn't have bothered. Not that I blame them…"What did he mean by that? Wait a minute…maybe George is like I was when _I _lived in the zoo. Before I left New York. Before these stupid predator instincts tried to make me eat everyone. But his eyes…_Alex remembered the fire from George's brown eyes. _I don't know. Maybe I'll ask him what he was talking about later._

Alex came to the moat. It was wide, but as George had said, not impossible to cross. Eyes on the gazelles, Alex soared over the moat. _I'll have to ask him about breakfast, too._ Alex thought.

The gazelles looked up from their grazing in alarm. They saw the strange lion bounding toward them, on _their side _of the moat, and did what most gazelles would do in that situation.

They ran.

"No, wait!" Alex yelled, "I'm not going to eat you! I just want to ask you a question! Hey! Come back!"

Alex stared, watching the scattering gazelles. He sighed. So much for that idea.

George appeared behind Alex, "Don't you know anything about these fast-running prey animals?"

"Actually…" Alex thought about Marty. The zebra could run pretty fast if he wanted to.

"You can't just run up to them! Maybe you can with a hippo, but these gazelles have too much 'flight' for that!" George shook his head.

Alex crossed his arms, "Okay, so how _should _I approach them?" _Oh, Mr. Expert On Prey Animals. _Alex thought, miffed.

George smiled, maybe a bit smugly, "Why don't I go with you? They know me, and know I'm not a threat. Still, we have to be careful. Instinct can be very strong."

"I know." Alex sighed. But he wasn't referring to prey animals.

The two male lions walked across the simulated savannah. George chuckled, "If the humans saw this, they'd have to rethink their theories about male lion interactions!"

Alex glanced nervously around, "The people could be watching…"

George laughed, "Don't worry about that! The day that people get up _this _early in the morning would be the day I stop eating steak!"

"Steak?" Alex's tongue automatically lubricated his lips. Just the word "steak" was enough for him to realize that he hadn't eaten since Marty had brought him the sausages.

"Yes. Steak." George gave him a strange look, "Are you hungry, by any chance?"

"No, not really. A little." Alex's pupils shrank, "Why do you ask?"

The other lion took one look at Alex's eyes and turned him around, "Maybe we should eat breakfast first and come back later."

"No, no, I'll be fine. I ate yesterday…I should be good for at least another day…" Alex turned around and headed for a group of gazelle-like animals with zebra-striped hind legs.

George disagreed, "I strongly suggest that you get something to eat, first."

"Oh, I will." Alex mumbled, heading towards the animals. His claws snapped out.

George jumped in front of Alex, stopping him, "Leave those okapi alone! If there's an incident, they'll never help you find your missing hippo! Come back with me and we'll talk over breakfast."

Alex hesitated. His eyes started to go back to normal.

"I have a feeling that you need to hear what I have to say." George continued, "Especially if you are friends with prey animals."

Alex frowned, glancing at the okapi. He shook his head hard, "I _hate _it when that happens! Agh!" He looked at his paws. His claws retracted.

George steered Alex back toward the lion side of the savannah, "I know. Believe it or not, I understand. I've been there, too."

"But not anymore?" Alex asked, "How did you get rid…"

"Come to breakfast, and I'll tell you." George smiled secretively.

Alex smiled back.

Breakfast sounded _really _good to him.

* * *

Cora listened with rapt attention as the penguins devised a plan. Using Kowalski's notes, Skipper's tactical sense, Private's sincerity, and a few suggestions from Rico (usually involving dynamite), a workable plan seemed to be formulating.

"And after we spring them from the zoo, we'll all take a train south to Grand Central, catch a few connections to 72nd, and walk the rest of the way back here." Skipper concluded, "Then we're busting out of this town!"

Cora frowned, "What about Alex and Marty?"

Skipper waved off Cora's question, "According to this map of the subway system…" Skipper pointed to the map on the planning table, "That psychotic lion was only blocks from the zoo when we last saw him. I'm sure he's made it there by now."

"What about the zebra?" Private asked worriedly, "No one's seen him since yesterday!"

"That's where our plan breaks down." Skipper scratched his head, "But we have to depart tonight if we are going to depart at all."

Cora gasped, "But what if we haven't found Marty yet?"

Skipper looked her in the eye, "Tonight, it's 'all aboard who are going aboard'."

"Why?" Cora demanded.

"Kowalski! Show her the sign!" Skipper ordered.

Kowalski flipped through the notebook. He held it up, showing Cora a sketch of a sign reading, "Dock Inspection Tomorrow."

"That was posted all over the dock last night when we got in." Skipper explained.

"So?" Cora said stubbornly.

"So if we're still here tomorrow when the people come, they're going to know about it," Skipper answered, "and if that happens, you can forget about going back to sun and sand."

Cora sighed, "Great." _But I'd rather be here with Marty than be there without him. _

"Don't concern yourself too much, Doll. I'm sure your friends will turn up, and everything will go off without a hitch." Skipper reassured the distraught mare.

Cora shook her head, "I sure hope you're right." She left the penguins at the planning table in the cabin and stood at the rail, looking at the snowy Manhattan. Somewhere out there, beyond the visible buildings, were her friends; one of whom seemed to be missing.

"Marty, where are you?" Cora whispered.

* * *

A wet, dirty, bedraggled figure trudged down the cold sidewalk. He had long since stopped walking on two legs. His hooves no longer hurt; they were numb with cold from walking through the sludge that used to be snow before pedestrians had walked all over it.

Marty imagined what Melman would say if he saw him like this. _Maybe I should get cleaned up before I get to the zoo! _The zebra carefully picked his way around the icy puddles, heading north.

A blind woman and her guide dog were headed up the sidewalk toward Marty. Finally, maybe someone who could help him! It seemed that no animals wanted to come out in the cold.

"Excuse me!" Marty called. The dog looked up for a moment, then helped his mistress get around a puddle.

"I'm busy." The dog said.

Marty wasn't about to give up, "Could you just tell me how to get to the Bronx Zoo?"

The dog stopped his mistress safely and glared at Marty, "The Bronx? Keep going and you'll run right into it! It's over the Harlem River, to the north. Beyond that, you're on your own. Never been there, so I wouldn't know how to get to the zoo."

"Over the river. Okay, thank you!" Marty began heading down the sidewalk.

"Hey!" the dog called back, "Take Madison! It'll get you right to a bridge."

"Thanks!" Marty waved. He found an intersection to Madison Avenue and began to follow the street.

"Start spreading the news…" Marty murmured, watching his breath crystallize in the air. People milled on the sidewalk; going into buildings, coming out of buildings, walking to and from buildings, and calling the ever-present taxicabs. Marty wished briefly that the people could understand him when he talked to them. Riding in a taxicab would be a lot warmer than walking.

_Just keep moving, Marty, _he told himself, _the cold's not so bad as long as I keep moving. I'll get there. Just gotta keep moving. _

He saw a bridge ahead. _Must be the one over the Harlem. I'm getting close!_

With determination, the zebra headed towards the bridge.

On the other side lay the Bronx.

* * *

Alex bit into the juicy steak. "You know," he said around a mouthful, "it's not as good as I remembered."

George looked at the lion, "I'm curious, while you were on that island you told me about, what did you eat if not steak?"

"I almost ate my friends," Alex admitted, "but then the penguins got me started eating fish."

"Penguins?" George shook his head, "You do have a variety of friends! As far as food goes, I think I know of something that might interest you." George hopped off of his rock and headed for a small pond. Alex followed.

"The people keep it stocked year round. We don't know why they do, but it makes good sport. Especially when one of us needs a snack." George said.

Before Alex could blink, George's paw flashed through the water and a fish was wiggling on the land near Alex. Alex jumped back from the flopping fish.

George blinked, "Don't worry, it won't bite." He looked confused, "Go ahead and try it."

"Um," Alex eyed the gasping fish, "Well, the penguins always killed them for me…"

"Oh, I see." George squinted at Alex, "How close are you to these herbivore friends of yours?"

Alex smiled a little, "Very close."

George shook his head, "Then you'll have to learn how to kill your own fish."

Alex winced, "But I don't want to kill!"

"Neither did I." George had a sudden sadness in his eyes.

Alex frowned, "What do you mean?"

George looked sorrowful, "Once I was a lot like you." George flipped the fish back into the stream, "I hate to see things suffer."

"Go on," Alex said. George had his full attention.

The older lion looked deep into Alex's eyes. Alex got a bizarre feeling, like he was looking into the soul of his future self. Involuntarily, he shuddered.

"I was young, optimistic, and would never _ever_ hurt anyone, especially not my friends. I only ate steak, and I was friends with all of the animals around here. " George sighed, "But all that changed one day when my son was old enough to challenge me. One day I got jealous of how the lionesses, _my _lionesses, looked at my son. Then he and I had a fight, and he got the upper hand. I was so upset that I ran off, jumping the moats into the prey side without knowing it. Without eating breakfast. Then Jeenko, my pal, Jeenko the Gazelle..." George's voice trailed off as he stared into the simulated plains. "He asked me what was wrong. I was upset…so upset…but not at him…but he was there…and I was hungry…"

Alex looked down. He recognized the story.

George shook his head, "I can still hear the screams. I can still see the terror in his eyes. I remember the feeling of not being in control…and…I lost it, Alex."

"You mean you…he…?" Alex couldn't ask.

George shook his head, "Lucky for Jeenko, the people interfered. He barely pulled through. When I realized what had happened, I wanted to die. I didn't want to deal with the fact that the evil maniacal lion who attacked and nearly killed my friend was me. But the people just took my son away and dug the moats wider and deeper. And Jeenko never spoke to me again."

"Wow," Alex said. It was one of those times where words just weren't enough.

George continued, "My lionesses convinced me that life was still worth living. That I could redeem myself. So I did. It was a long, hard time, and I missed Jeenko so much...it was probably better that he stayed away from me, though. I never would forgive myself for what I did to him, and I know he never forgave me."

_Marty _did _forgive me. _Alex thought. _He's such a great guy. He and Glo and Melman…I don't know what I'd do without them. I can't let anything come between us, _Alex decided.

"Jeenko was transferred as soon as he healed, so I never had the chance to make things right with him." George said regretfully, "But I try to keep the other herbivores here safe. It's sad that I had to lose him to realize how important he was to me. It's like…it's like I attacked a part of myself…that doesn't make sense..."

"Actually, it does." Alex said, understanding radiating from his blue eyes.

George looked at Alex, "He got so close to me during the years we were friends, he was like a brother."

Alex nodded slowly, "They do that, don't they?"

George looked slightly embarrassed, "I haven't talked about him in years. But I think about him all the time."

"Thanks for telling me." Alex smiled weakly, "but I'm curious. How did you stop wanting to…how do you turn off the instinct?"

"You don't." George said frankly.

Alex was disappointed, "What?"

"You don't turn it off." George explained, "You can't, it's impossible. But you can give it something else to do. Like hunt bugs."

"You ate bugs?" Alex made a face.

"Whenever I felt like I needed to eat one of those prey animals, I remembered Jeenko. I chased and ate bugs instead. It didn't take long for my body to tell me not to do that anymore. After that, I just chased them to appease my appetite for hunting. The people must've thought I'd lost my mind!" George almost smiled at the memory, "And after a while, I no longer felt the urge to attack. Steak totally satisfied me again."

"Huh," Alex mused, "so next time I get hungry, I should go fishing? There's still the problem of _killing _the fish."

"Think about your friends." George suggested gravely, "It's them or the fish."

Alex sighed, closed his eyes, and pictured Marty in his mind. He thought about all the good times they'd shared, all the birthdays, all the ordinary days, all the nights spent chatting and joking on Madagascar. He thought about the bad times, when Marty had run away from the zoo and gotten them all transferred, and when he and Marty had been on bad terms for several days. Then he thought about the day when he'd almost killed Marty. The day Marty had saved Alex from himself. He remembered that silly song about New York. Suddenly the bad times didn't seem so bad, and Alex knew that all he really wanted was to see Marty again. To tell his friends that they were the most important thing to him.

Suddenly, a fish seemed insignificant.

Alex opened his eyes and watched the pond. He swiped his paw through the water as he'd seen George do. To his astonishment, there was a fish, flopping in the snow! He'd caught one! Alex triumphantly grabbed the fish, popped it in his mouth, and swallowed, trying not to think about what was happening to the fish at that moment.

"Great job! That's the way!" George congratulated.

Alex smiled, satisfied.

Now he had a weapon to fight off his worst enemy.


	15. Experts

Gloria lounged in the water of a heated pond designed to be a year-round watering hole. She closed her eyes blissfully as she breathed the cold air.

"Gloria?" a familiar voice called.

Gloria sat up, "Alex!" She climbed out of the pond and smiled at the lion. Melman was behind Alex.

"And Melman!" Gloria greeted the giraffe, then looked around, "Alex, where's Marty?"

Alex's smile wavered, "He's…on his way…"

"You left him alone in the city?" Gloria cried.

Alex cringed, "Not exactly…he brought me some food, then he tried to get me to go with him, but I wouldn't, so he ran off to find you guys, then I went after him, but I didn't find him, and the penguins and I took the subway…"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down! The penguins are with you?" Gloria asked.

"They were…"Alex answered.

"Where are they?" Melman asked.

"Uh," Alex thought back, "Last I saw, they were on the subway.

Melman and Gloria stared at him.

"I know what you're thinking…" Alex began.

"Alex, you seem to be having trouble keeping track of us." Melman summed it up.

Alex sighed, "I just have trouble keeping you all together." He looked up, "What about Cora? What happened to her?"

Melman cleared his throat, "Uh…"

"Well," Gloria added.

"What?" Alex asked.

"The people took her somewhere," Melman said finally, "We don't know where."

A voice came from below, "We do."

Everyone looked down. A black and white head popped out of a hole that no one had noticed before. Kowalski blinked at the Zoosters in the bright light. He pulled himself up and then helped Rico and Private out of the hole.

Alex gaped at them in surprise, "How'd you get here?"

Kowalski gave the lion a tense look, "We utilized the tunnels we dug previously for Operation Deep Freeze."

"Wasn't that the one where we were digging to Antarctica?" Private asked.

Rico nodded.

"Isn't there supposed to be one more of you penguins?" Melman squinted.

Private spoke up, "Skipper's getting ready for…"

Kowalski glared at him, "That's confidential information!"

Alex breathlessly descended upon the penguins, "Have you seen Marty? Or Cora? Where are they, are they alright?"

"The location of the striped one is unknown. The spotted one departed the boat at 05:00 hours this morning. We believe she may be on a covert operation of her own to find the striped one before the deadline." Kowalski answered.

"What deadline?" Alex asked.

Kowalski nodded once, "We all must report back to the ship before this evening or the people will discover our whereabouts."

"Oh, great." Alex said sarcastically, "That's all we need!"

Melman shook his head, "All this stress is giving me a migraine!"

"We have devised a plan to get you out of here," Kowalski informed them.

"Great! Let's hear it!" Alex beamed. Melman and Gloria looked unsure, but they nodded as well.

"Huddle!" Kowalski said. When everyone complied, he whispered, "This is the plan…"

"Achoo!" Melman sneezed, "Sorry. I think I'm allergic to feathers."

Gloria put her hands on her hips, "Melman! You're allergic to everything!"

"True." Melman nodded.

Kowalski sighed, making it obvious that he was waiting.

"So, what's that plan?" Melman sniffed.

Kowalski shook his head, "Private and I will distract the people at the entrance while Rico opens the gate. You," he pointed at Alex, Gloria, and Melman, "will then escape out the gate and head out to the subway station.

"That's it?" Alex crossed his paws.

"That is, as you say, it." Kowalski confirmed.

"Alex, can we talk to you for a moment?" Gloria asked.

"Sure." Alex said. They walked out of hearing range of the others.

Gloria looked at Alex, "Are you sure you want to go back?"

"Yeah." Alex said.

Melman looked more uncomfortable than usual, "It's all right if you don't! We could go find Marty and Cora, and bring them back here. You could live in a zoo, eat steak, be pampered…"

Alex held up a paw, "Don't worry about me. Really! I don't like steak as much as I like fish, and as far as being pampered, this place isn't exactly the Ritz. Besides, the people would never let me stay here. They already have a male lion."

"You could stay with me and my parents!" Melman suggested.

"Uh, no offence, but no thanks." Alex said carefully.

Gloria put a hippo hand on Alex's shoulder, "If you're sure you want to leave."

Suddenly, Alex realized something. "What about you guys? I mean, it's your decision, too! I won't make us all go back if no one wants to."

Melman shook his head, "I don't know! Madagascar was…actually kind of fun. But there wasn't anyplace…_sanitary_ there. And no doctors."

Alex frowned sadly.

"But the air isn't full of noxious fumes. I could live there." Melman added quickly.

Alex looked at the hippo, "What about you, Gloria?"

"Alex," Gloria smiled, "You know, I'll be happy either way. Like Marty said, 'As long as we're together, it doesn't matter to me'. Home is wherever you boys are."

Alex sighed, "We've got to find him. As long as we're _not _together, I can't think of _anyplace _as home."

Melman looked sad. Gloria nodded, "Then let's go find him."

* * *

Cora ran down the street. She was tiring from running for fifteen city blocks. But it was paying off. Cora caught a glimpse of green down a street to her left. _There's Central Park! Yes! The shortcut worked! Now I just have to find the zoo, where I last saw Alex and Marty. I hope there is some clue as to where they went. _

Cora cautiously approached the zoo. The area around the red brick-walled zoo was once again devoid of animals and humans. The gate had been chained closed, though the old lock still hung on the gate. Cora inspected the lock. It was bent as though it had been broken by a very strong force.

_Alex. _Cora thought, _He could've done this. The people wouldn't have! So Alex must've broken out through the gate. But was Marty with him when he left? The penguins hadn't seen Marty, so he wasn't. I don't think Alex would have left Marty behind. So Marty probably left first._

Cora pieced together the events in her mind. It was all beginning to make sense. But she still had no idea where Marty was. _At least I know Alex is somewhere near the Bronx Zoo. But Marty could be anywhere. _

The mare sat down in the snow. Her winter fur had been bothersome on Madagascar, but here it really helped to keep her warm.

Cora stared across the snow drifts in Central Park. _Where would I go if I were Marty? The problem is, I'm not Marty. I would guess that he headed for the Bronx Zoo, but which direction did he go? Which streets did he take? _

Frustrated, Cora stood up, shook the snow off of herself, and began walking north. Sitting cold and alone in Central Park was getting her nowhere.

* * *

"George?" Alex called at the edge of the lion enclosure, "Hey, George?"

The bigger lion opened his eyes, "Hi, did you find your friends?" he yawned.

Alex nodded, "Most of them. I just wanted to say goodbye in case I don't come back. We're leaving to find my other friends, and we may be going back…home." _Wow. It really is my home. I really do want to go back. New York has nothing for me. Well, almost nothing…_

George blinked, "Going back to the Central Park Zoo? That's quite a walk."

"Actually," Alex smiled, "We'd be going back to Madagascar."

"Wow!" George's eyes opened wide, "That's a substantially _longer _walk! Or should I say, swim."

"We've got a boat." Alex answered, "But we won't be coming back to New York if we go. And I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" George smiled.

Alex sighed, "For helping with…you know."

George nodded seriously, "All I did was tell you how to deal with it. The hard part is up to you."

"I know," Alex said, "But I'm still grateful. And I'm sure Marty will be, too."

"Marty?" George asked.

"My best friend," Alex answered proudly, "Marty the Zebra."

George allowed a lot of warmth to shine in his eyes, "I see. Well, you take care of him, okay? Him and your other prey animal friends. For some reason, we have been given the gift of friendship with herbivores. I believe that the reason lions like us have friends like them is because we are meant to protect them."

"I will." Alex promised.

"Good." George said, "Now, get out of here and find those missing pals of yours!" He waved to Alex.

Alex laughed and ran back to where he'd left Gloria and Melman. _George, you're all right. _He thought.

* * *

"Where were you?" Gloria asked.

"Just taking care of some last-minute stuff." Alex replied.

"We're almost ready to go." Gloria told him. She sensed he was keeping something from her, but she didn't press him about it. _He will tell me when he's ready to._

Alex looked around and groaned, "Where are Melman and the penguins?"

"Melman's saying goodbye to his parents, and getting a last minute checkup," Gloria blinked her brown eyes, "And the penguins were working on a tunnel. They should all be back here soon."

Three giraffes approached.

"I thought you sad he was saying goodbye to them!" Alex whispered to Gloria.

"I thought he was!" Gloria whispered back.

Melman, Mimi, and Mitchell Mankowitz walked up to the lion and the hippo.

"I can't wait to see your island, Melman!" Mimi was saying excitedly.

"What?" Alex cried.

"Uh," Melman cleared his throat, ending in a cough, "My parents said they wanted to come with us, so I said they could."

_This complicates things. _Thought Alex.

"I think this island sounds like the perfect place to retire!" Mitchell remarked.

Alex looked at Gloria for help, but she was smiling and nodding, "It sure is nice there. Much warmer than it is here."

"What?" Alex yelled again.

"Alex, there's plenty of room on the boat for two more." Gloria glared at the lion.

"The boat's not the problem!" Alex mumbled, "How are we going to get three giraffes out of here and all the way back to the West Side?"

"The same way we were going to get _one _giraffe out." Gloria said firmly.

Alex sighed. Once Gloria took a stand, there was no budging her, "okay. You're right. Sorry." He turned to the Mankowitzes. _Oh, great. This is just great. Now I get to spend the rest of my life with this couple of…giraffes._

"Apology accepted." Mitchell answered politely. He sounded a little put off.

Kowalski popped out of the ground for the second time, "We're ready. Everything is in place. Operation Perfect Getaway is a go. Proceed to the entrance, and when I give the signal, run out of the gates."

"Sure." Alex said.

Kowalski nodded and disappeared back into the ground.

"So exciting!" Mimi gushed, "I've never broken out before!"

"Don't worry." Alex said, "We're experts." He stalked to the enclosure fence.

"What did he mean by that?" Mimi asked, puzzled.

Gloria watched the lion hop the fence, "Don't pay any attention to him. Just follow us." Gloria and Melman led the other two giraffes after Alex.

As the five animals walked down the path, people screamed and got out of the way. Especially when they saw Alex. Children watched in awe as the trio of giraffes walked by.

"Look! A parade!" one kid cried happily.

"It's like Thanksgiving, only they're real animals!" another smiled.

Alex watched the ground. _Why can't anything work out? Why? One thing. That's all I want. And that's just too much to ask for. I just want Marty, Gloria, Melman, and I to go back to Madagascar where it's safe and warm. Where we're together, and no one can break us apart. And preferably where no one will interrupt us. I want it to be like it used to be before we left. Grr, Marty! Why'd you have to run off into the woods? You set this whole thing in motion; you always seem to, don't you? I am so mad at you, and at the same time I miss you so much. Life just isn't the same without you here to drive me nuts. _

_What's wrong with me, anyway?_

"You're worried, Alex." Gloria joined the lion. The previous hard edge was gone from her voice.

Alex turned to her, "I just want this to all be over. I wish we'd never come here in the first place!"

Gloria gave Alex a disbelieving look, "Come on, do you really wish that? Don't you remember how you felt when you were on Madagascar?"

"No." Alex said glumly.

"Well, I do." Gloria said, "You were miserable. You needed to see New York again to know just what it was you lost. And now you know. Am I right?"

Alex sighed, "Yeah. You're right. Now I know that I can't ever live the wonderful life I used to have at the Central Park Zoo ever again."

Gloria looked into Alex's eyes, "When you think of the word 'home', what do you think of?"

Alex stopped and thought. _Why do I want to go to Madagascar, anyway? It was all sandy and…wild. Why? Because we all could be happy there. Even I had fun. That's the answer. _

_Home is where all of us can be happy. _

Melman broke into Alex's thoughts, "Well, here we are."

The animals had reached the Asia Gate. They could hear commotion on the other side. Someone outside yelled, "Catch those penguins!"

"I think that's our cue!" Alex said, "Let's go!"

The animals ran to the gate. Rico waited with dynamite.

Kowalski and Private dashed by outside the gate. Kowalski waved a flipper at the animals inside. Rico lit the fuse on the dynamite.

"Kaboom!" he said, dashing to where the giraffes, lion, and hippo waited.

_Kaboom! _The gate blasted open. The animals all ran out of the zoo.

"That was easy!" Mimi remarked, "When you guys said you were experts, you weren't kidding!"

Mitchell shook his head uncertainly, "That was dangerous! What if one of us were hit by some piece of flying shrapnel? Mimi, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Don't be silly, Mitch. We're all absolutely fine!" Mimi smiled.

Mitchell turned his head to eye the dust settling by the gate, "Okay, Mimi. But the minute anything potentially harmful happens, we're coming home."

"Whatever you say, dear." Mimi rolled her eyes, "But I don't think that anything will. They're experts."

Alex smiled ironically, "Okay, the station's straight ahead. Let's go, guys!"

Mimi and Mitchell glanced all around at the city.

"It's such a different world out here!" Mimi exclaimed.

Mitchell warily eyed the cabs, cars, and trucks zooming past on the street, but said nothing.

Alex led them all down the long flight of stairs into the subway station. Somehow, the penguins had arrived ahead of them.

"Good to see you all made it out of the zoo." Kowalski said as a greeting, "The next train's ours. Are you all ready?"

Alex glanced at his companions. Melman and his parents had to duck because of the low ceiling of the station, but they looked excited. Melman had discovered a piece of gum stuck to his hoof. Mimi was glancing all around, taking in the sights, mouth hanging open in wonder. Mitchell was trying to help his son remove the offensive chewing gum. Gloria was watching for the train.

"I think we're all ready." Alex answered.

The loudspeaker crackled to life, "The fixed-story to Planned Education has been delayed due to fleck nickel terrific oldies."

"What the heck did they just say?" Alex asked.

Kowalski shook his head, "It's more of that unknown language."

"I think" Gloria studied the schedule board, "they said that the train to Grand Central has been delayed."

Melman shook his head, "There must have been a problem with the track or the trains."

Mitchell looked concerned, "That sounds dangerous! Maybe we should walk. How far away is this 'Grand Central'?"

"Too far," sighed Alex.

Kowalski turned to the shortest penguin, "Private! Rico! Alert the Skipper that it's time to initiate Plan B."

Private asked, "Sir, how do we get there?"

Kowalski answered, "Remember what Skipper told you?"

"Yes, sir!" Private hurried off.

"Plan _B_?" Alex asked skeptically.

Kowalski nodded sharply, "It will take some time for the message to reach the Skipper, so you might as well get comfortable."

"Fine by me." Mitchell sat down. Mimi joined him. Melman glanced around for a clean spot to sit down. Gloria and Alex glanced at each other.

Alex sighed, "I hope Plan B works."

* * *

Several hours later, a pickup truck pulled up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A man got out, but didn't see the two penguins hop out of the back. Rico and Private waddled quickly to a fire hydrant and hid behind it, just as the man went to check the load of lumber in the back of his truck. The man, apparently satisfied, turned around and leaned on the truck, checked his watch, and began whistling.

Rico and Private made sure he was looking the other way, and then they rolled on their sides into Central Park.

Silently the two penguins tiptoed through the snowy park. There were a few people strolling through, and the occasional dog barked at some pigeons, but for the most part, the park was empty. The noise of traffic, horns, sirens, and people seemed far away. It was as quiet as New York gets.

"What INDIGNITY!"

The silence was shattered by the haughty cry.

The penguins simultaneously dove into some thin bushes. Private peeked out at the source of the cry.

"I can not believe that this is happening to me! To ME! Of all of the squirrels…why _ME_?" A squirrel was pacing at the base of a tree. Another squirrel stood nearby, trying to comfort him.

"Robert, it is not so bad! Now we can aquire that exquisite residence on Park Avenue which you have had your eye on for so extensive a time!" the other squirrel said.

Robert stopped pacing long enough to glare at the other squirrel, "Gwendolyn! The Fenwicks purchased it the previous spring! Do you not remember? Oh, never mind. This whole fiasco would not have occurred if your oral cavity had remained closed." He absently dug in the snowy ground.

Gwendolyn sighed, "All I did was to mention that there were superior places to live than the center of a metropolis, that's all." She put her hand on Robert's shoulder, "I never intended to alienate you from your acquaintances."

"Or the landlord!" Robert moaned, "Now to what location are we able to depart? Not one respectable creature in all of Manhattan will be willing to assist us!"

Private looked sad. He stepped out of the bush, "Excuse me! But I heard you were looking for a place to live?"

Robert looked up. He sized up Private, and liked what he saw. The expression on his face changed to hope. "That is correct, Well-dressed Bird."

"Um," Private tried to smile in a friendly way, "We have a boat, and we're headed to Madagascar. If you'd like you could join us."

"Hmm." Robert looked thoughtful, "Travel by sea to another land? That sounds intriguing. What do you think, Gwendolyn?"

Gwendolyn smiled, "That sounds like an adventure! You have always said that you would like to observe more of the world."

Robert nodded once, "Then we accept your offer." Just then, his paws found a seed in the ground. With delight, he showed it to his wife, "Look, Gwendolyn! Our fortune appears to be changing!"

The four animals continued across the park.


	16. A Matter of Life and Death

Cora watched all the movement around her. _There's something so invigorating about the city. Everyone's got a place to go and things to do. It wears me out just looking at it!_

Cora shivered as a gust of cold wind blew through the concrete and steel canyon that she was walking through. The mare scanned the streets, looking for her zebra friend.

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of black-and-white stripes moving through a crowd on the other side of the street! Cora darted across the street, dodging between taxicabs. She pushed through the crowd towards the stripes. "Marty!" she called. There was a clearing in the crowd, and the stripes went into it. Cora wiggled toward the clearing in time to see a woman with a zebra-striped handbag enter a building.

Disappointed, the spotted horse resumed trudging down the street. She noticed a map in front of one building. "You Are Here" it proclaimed, with an arrow to a spot on the map. Cora shook her head.

"What I need is a 'Marty is here' map!" she sighed.

A few blocks ahead, Cora noticed a gap in the buildings where a white, cloudy sky showed through.

She stopped. "Actually, knowing where _I_ am might help." She returned to the sign and scrutinized it. "I would guess that Marty's headed to the Bronx Zoo, because that's the last place he heard that we went, and that's where the penguins and Alex were going. And the best way to get to the Bronx…" She studied the maze of lines representing streets and avenues, "…is this road here with a bridge. Madison Avenue. Hmm. And I'm at…" Cora looked for a street sign, "Okay, I'm _on _Madison! Hopefully, this is the street that Marty decided to take."

The horse followed the street north. It wasn't long before she saw a bridge ahead of her.

Cora grinned, "Great! That must be the bridge I saw on the map. I'm almost to the Bronx!" She was proud of herself for successfully navigating the big city.

Her grin widened when she caught sight of Marty, just ahead at the bridge! She saw him wait for a break in traffic, step onto the bridge, then jump aside just in time to avoid being run over by a speeding taxicab.

"Marty!" Cora yelled, running and waving at the zebra. He looked up at her and grinned joyfully. It had seemed like weeks since the two had seen each other.

The horse ran full speed down the sidewalk, forgetting her weariness. She dashed up to the spot where the zebra stood.

Cora grabbed Marty and hugged him tight, "I missed you so much! You were gone so long, and no one had seen you…I'm so glad you're okay!" She released him to look him over, "You are okay, right?" Marty's fur was damp and icy. His leather jacket had holes in it, and he stood stiffly on his legs. He looked cold, but his eyes and smile were as warm and friendly as ever!

Marty nodded, "I'm okay! I've just been trying to get across for a while…"

"No you're not!" Cora gasped. She saw splashes of bright red in the snow where Marty had been standing. "You're bleeding!"

Marty looked down, "No I'm n-wait…I am! How long's that been happening?"

Crimson rivulets stood out against the black and white of Marty's legs. They started from small cuts above his ankles and colored the snow around his hooves.

"They're not deep," Cora sighed with relief, "do you remember anything that happened that could have done that?"

Marty tried to think back, "Not really, I mean, I can't even feel it. Wait, there was that big puddle on 115th street, with ice over it. I didn't see it until I was already in it. It might have scraped the backs of my heels a little."

Cora still looked worried.

Marty sighed, "Cor, look, don't worry, okay? I'm fine! Just a little tired, but I'm still good to go."

Cora shook her head, "Marty, you look like an ice zebra! How long have you been out in this weather? And _wet_?" She eyed his soggy shirt.

A tiny flash of exhaustion showed in Marty's clear aqua eyes, "A while."

The mare put her hooves on her hips, "And exactly how long is 'a while'?"

"'A while' is however long it's been since you, Glo, and Melman left." Marty admitted.

Cora's mouth dropped open, "Marty, it's been almost two days! You've been walking around New York City in the freezing cold for _two days_?"

Marty nodded, "I guess so. Has it really been two days? Wow. Hey, where _are_ the others? I thought they were with you, except for Alex and the penguins." He looked around, as though they might be hiding around a corner somewhere.

Cora bit her lip, "We got separated. They're probably back at the Bronx Zoo with Alex, if the penguins haven't broken them out by now."

Marty's ears perked up, "You've seen Alex? How is he?"

"I actually haven't seen him," Cora confessed, "but the penguins told me that he was very close to the zoo the last time they saw him."

Marty sighed, ending with a cough, "Good for him. At least one of us made it there." Marty stared at the bridge, "I'll bet they're all worried about me."

"Ahh!" Cora yelled. Marty looked up just in time to narrowly avoid being hit by a taxicab that jumped the curb onto the sidewalk. He and Cora dove to the side and into a snow bank. The cab screeched to a halt.

Cora stood up and helped Marty to his feet, "Are you okay?"

"You keep asking me that," Marty teased, "Do I really look that bad?"

Cora gave Marty a sarcastic look, "We almost got mowed down by a taxicab, I thought that under the circumstances, it was an appropriate question!"

Marty glared at the yellow car in disgust, "Where do cabbies learn to drive, anyway?"

"New York." Cora answered cynically.

The cab's driver-side door opened. Feet hopped out, but no head appeared over the door

Cora and Marty exchanged a confused look.

The feet waddled a few steps, and then Skipper peered around the door at Marty and Cora. The penguin grinned, "Quadrupeds! I acquired this vehicle for transport to the rendezvous point."

"Rendezvous point?" Marty asked.

Skipper winked at Marty, "It's Plan B, my monochromatic friend. Get in, and I'll take you to your missing companions."

"Great!" Cora smiled.

Marty opened a side door, "Let's go! Ladies first."

Cora giggled and slid inside, followed by Marty.

Skipper hopped back into the cab and onto a pile of books that had been seat-belted to the chair. "Is everybody accounted for?" he asked.

Marty answered, "We're ready!" He noticed there were two squirrels sitting in the front seat, wearing the seatbelt and covering their eyes. Marty didn't have a chance to ask about them, though. Skipper had, as usual, wasted no time in leaping into action.

"Rico, we need forward acceleration!" Skipper ordered in the direction of the floor beneath the steering wheel. Rico saluted from his position at the pedals. Skipper turned to Private, "Private, release the parking brake." Private complied.

The cab jerked forward, then careened back onto the street. Skipper spun the steering wheel, swinging the cab onto the bridge.

All around, cars honked and people yelled. Marty and Cora just relaxed and held on for dear life as Skipper negotiated traffic.

* * *

Alex paced back and forth in the subway station. The station was nearly empty, with all of the other passengers opting for quicker forms of transportation.

Gloria rolled her eyes, "Alex, pacing isn't going to make anything happen faster."

"Yeah," Melman's eyes were shut, "and you're making me dizzy!"

"Sorry." Alex said, flopping down, "I just wish it wasn't so cold out there. I'd rather wait outside."

Mimi looked at the empty track, "This is taking a while. Um, what exactly are we waiting for?"

Kowalski considered her question, "You are not currently authorized to know. I was instructed to wait here until our transport back to the boat arrived."

Mimi looked disappointed.

"However," the penguin continued, "under the circumstances, you should be informed. We are waiting," he said, "for a taxi."

"A taxi?" Alex jumped up, "That's it. That's the last straw!"

Gloria looked warningly at the lion, "Alex…"

"Did you hear what he just said? It's insane!" Alex shook his head, "A taxi! Why didn't you just say so? Why don't I just go flag one down?" Alex sighed sarcastically, "Oh, wait, does anyone have any money? Or speak human, by any chance?"

Kowalski shook his head, "Negative. We are neither carrying currency nor able to speak passable human."

"Shut up!" Alex cried, "If we had walked, we'd be halfway to the boat by now! But nooo, you had to stay here to wait for your precious Plan B!"

The penguin's beady stare worked its way to Alex's eyes, "The taxi will be driven by Skipper. It will arrive in a timely fashion."

_A penguin driving a taxicab? _"Oh, great!" Alex threw up his paws, "Well, I'm glad we've got such a qualified driver!"

"Alex, cool it!" Gloria ordered.

The lion didn't act as though he'd heard. _Nothing has gone right since we left Madagascar. Come to think of it, since Marty escaped from the zoo those long two weeks ago, life hasn't been the same. In a bad way. And I can't do a thing about it. And things just keep getting worse! And my _friends _aren't helping matters any! We just keep getting into more and more ridiculous situations...I can't take it anymore! I've been keeping it all inside for so long…_His feelings exploded out of him uncontrollably. His voice dripping with sarcasm, Alex stomped around the station, "I mean, hey, why not? If a lion can take a subway, and a bunch of giraffes can walk out of a zoo in broad daylight, why couldn't a penguin drive a cab?" Alex continued, "_I_ just hope he doesn't expect a tip, because his schedule-keeping is lousy!"

"Alex, are you hungry?" Melman asked timidly.

"No, I'm not hungry." Alex snapped, "I had a very filling breakfast of steak and fish, and I'm fine. I'm just fine! But I'd be a lot _finer _if _some _part of my day would go _right, _you know, just for a _change_ in _PACE_!" He banged his fist on a bench, "And I'm in _here_, listening to a lunatic penguin, while Marty and Cora are out _there _freezing to death!" Alex pointed to the snowy world at the top of the stairs.

"Alex!" Gloria exclaimed, grabbing the upset lion, "You settle down! You don't know…"

Melman interrupted her, "Alex, I thought you said you weren't hungry."

A low rumble could be heard.

Alex looked confused, "That isn't me!"

The rumbling grew louder. And louder.

_Whoosh! _A train roared through the station, slowing down as the loudspeaker announced its arrival.

"Look!" Alex smiled, "The train made it! We don't have to wait for the taxi!"

The train slowed to a stop. Its last car pulled exactly even with the departure tunnel, leaving the tracks accessible to the station completely empty.

Alex stared. His hope drained once again. "Why me?" he cried.

"I don't think it's supposed to do that." Mimi whispered to her husband.

"Look, Alex," Gloria said gently but firmly, "We'll wait for the taxi, okay? I'm sure it's not going to be much longer."

The frustrated lion glared at the back of the train and sighed, feeling empty after releasing his emotions, "What else can we do?"

* * *

"Marty, you've got to get these wet clothes off!" Cora remarked to Marty.

Skipper and the other penguins had more or less settled into the routine of driving, with Skipper calling out "Brake!" and "Gas!" every so often. The ride was much smoother.

The ice in Marty's fur had melted. He was now soaking wet as opposed to frozen. The zebra was shaking, though whether because of the cold or the intense people smell in the cab was debatable. He felt tingling all over, and the scrapes on his legs now stung. _Wow, I didn't realize just how tired I was. I guess I was too cold. Did Cora say something? I probably should answer her…I am sooo sleepy. Cora. What did she say? Something about wet. Yeah, I feel wet. _

"Mm hmm." Marty mumbled. He was barely aware of Cora helping him remove the torn jacket and the wet shirt. He hardly noticed when she wrapped the scrapes on his legs with strips of the shirt to stop the bleeding. And he didn't realize that soon after, he fell asleep with his head on Cora's shoulder.

Surprised, Cora smiled. She sighed. _I'm glad he's resting and drying off. Two days. _She shook her head at the zebra. _Two days is too long for anyone in this weather. _

"I hope your friends appreciate you." Cora whispered to her sleeping companion, "because I sure do. I really missed you, Marty. I was so afraid we wouldn't find you. You're the first real friend I've ever had." Cora closed her eyes contentedly. _Marty is right next to me, and we're going to go see Alex, Gloria, and Melman. Soon, we'll all be on a ship back to Madagascar. _

_All is right in my world.

* * *

_

Melman was awakened from a wonderful dream about the emergency room. _What's going on? _The drowsy giraffe wondered, _Is this an earthquake? If it is, we're in trouble. We're in the worst place possible! We're underground!_

"Guys! Guys? Wake up!" He looked around at his pals, all of whom had fallen asleep, "Wake up! Mom? Dad? Come on, now, WAKE UP!"

Alex sat up and rubbed his eyes, "What is it, Melma-" He stopped.

The ground was rumbling again.

Outside the station, a cab pulled ungracefully up onto the snowy sidewalk.

"This is it!" Skipper announced, "Striped quadruped! Are you able to go inside and report that we have arrived?"

"Yes, sir!" Marty said, feeling much better after a long nap. He got out of the car and trotted to the station. Cora watched his bobbing mane disappear down the steps.

"Maybe I should go with him." She suggested.

Skipper smiled at her, "Your monochromatic friend will be fine! I'm sure his mission will be successfully accomplished in a manner of minutes."

"Skipper." Private said, "I thought Plan B was in the event that the subways didn't work."

"That is correct, young Private." Skipper answered.

Private looked confused, "Then why is the ground shaking?"

Marty saw his friends over by a wall. They appeared to be waking up. He smiled, "Alex!" he yelled happily.

Alex looked up and saw Marty, "Marty!" he cried. Gloria and Melman smiled, "Marty! You made it!"

"Guys! The cab's h…" Marty called. Then he stopped. "What's that?"

The rumbling was getting more and more intense. "An earthquake," Melman stuck his head under a bench. Mimi and Mitchell held each other tightly.

"Melman, I don't think that's an earthquake." Gloria said.

Alex wasn't paying attention. He was running to Marty.

Suddenly, a train came barreling into the station at full speed!

Alex stopped, saw the speeding subway, and remembered the train that was already stopped on the track.

"Uh, oh."

_Smash! _The first car of the speeding train collided with the last car of the stopped train. The force of the impact sent the remaining cars sliding off the tracks and slamming into the station. They hit a pillar, then a wall. The cars bunched up on themselves like someone closing an accordion in a very messy way. The schedule board and various other signs fell from the ceiling. The automated loudspeaker announced the arrival of the train just before being crushed by a falling piece of concrete.

The station was falling apart.

"Everybody get out!" Alex yelled, pointing at the stairs. He saw Melman, Mimi, Mitchell, Gloria, and Kowalski running for the stairs.

Someone was missing.

"Marty? Marty! Where are you?" Alex cried.

"Over here!" Marty's voice answered, "Alex, look out!"

Alex dodged just as a light fixture fell to the ground where he had just been standing. All around the station, other light fixtures rained down to the floor. He caught a glimpse of Marty, struggling to get a sign off his leg. Then all of the lights went out.

"Marty!" Alex yelled over the sound of the station caving in.

A large slab of concrete broke from the ceiling and slammed into the floor in front of Alex.

"Alex, get out of here!" Marty cried, afraid for his friend's life.

The wrecked subway train burst into flame, lighting the cavernous station.

Alex dodged yet another missile that was determined to land on his head, "I'm not leaving until you are!" Alex fought his way to Marty. He felt around, grabbed the sign that kept Marty trapped, and tossed it aside.

Marty got up, "Then let's go!" He ran toward the staircase with Alex hot on his heels.

Alex heard a loud snapping sound above him. He looked up. Giant cracks and fissures shot across the concrete ceiling. It started to give way.

The lion ran for the stairs. He saw the outline of Marty climbing the stairs. Huge chunks of concrete fell. Alex dodged one, but tripped over another and sprawled on the floor. Lying on is back, he saw a gargantuan slab directly above him dislodge itself from the ceiling and start to fall, as though in slow motion.

Then he knew he wouldn't make it.

Alex took one last look at his beloved friend limping up the steps to safety.

"Goodbye, Marty."

Marty reached the top of the staircase. A cloud of concrete dust puffed out of the staircase.

All was quiet.

"Alex?" Marty looked around. "Alex? Alex!" To his horror, Marty realized that his best friend hadn't made it out with him.

"No!" Marty ran back down the stairs, coughing on the dust.

All he saw was a sea of concrete slabs, broken and crumbling, sticking out every which way. The slabs were lit by the smoldering train, giving the room an eerie light.

Tears filled Marty's eyes. "Alex." He choked.


	17. Deadline

"What was that?" Cora cried. She looked out the window and saw the five animals running toward the taxi cab.

Cora flung open the door and jumped out. She galloped to Gloria, "What happened? What's going on? Where's Marty? And Alex?"

Gloria's eyes opened wide. She spun around, "Oh, no!"

The three cabby penguins and the two squirrels joined them.

"What?" Cora demanded.

"There was a train wreck," Melman said shakily, "it made the building start to collapse." Melman's eyes filled up with water.

Cora's mouth dropped open. "And?" she said hesitantly.

"And," Gloria gasped quietly, "It looks like we all didn't make it out in time."

Cora's entire soul dropped through the snow-covered ground. She suddenly felt chilled, despite her winter coat. She tearfully closed her eyes, "Oh, no. No."

"Kaboom?" Rico said sadly.

Skipper gave him a solemn look.

"Mimi," Mitchell said gently to his wife, who appeared to be in shock, "Dear, remember our agreement? We're going home now."

Mimi nodded silently and followed her husband.

The penguins, Cora, Melman, and Gloria stared tearfully at the dust rising from the station opening.

Frusturated tears filled Gloria's eyes. "We did _not_ come all this way for this!"

Cora and the penguins looked at the hippo as though she'd sprouted horns.

Melman blew his nose, "Maybe she has a point. It's possible they're still alive."

The animals looked at each other.

They all ran to the stairs.

"Marty!" Gloria cried, seeing the distraught zebra at the bottom of the stairs.

"Glo." Marty looked up at the hippo. She could see that his eyes were red and watery. But instead of sad, his gaze looked determined.

She walked down the stairs.

"We've got to move this concrete!" Marty said.

"Marty…" Gloria eyed the endless urbanite rubble doubtfully.

The zebra looked pleadingly into Gloria's face, "He could still be alive! Come on, guys!"

The others had gathered around the top of the stairs. They all looked sadly at Marty.

Melman sniffed and glanced into the concrete cavern, "Marty, we don't know where he is in there! We might have to move every single piece!"

Marty nodded, "Then let's get started! We don't have much time!"

"Marty…" Gloria said again. She looked sadly at the determined zebra.

Marty saw that the others weren't rushing down to help him. His eyes looked betrayed. He turned and began trying to move the rubble himself.

Cora walked down and stepped to the determined zebra, "Marty, he's gone."

"No!" Marty yelled, "No! He's not!"

Gloria touched Cora's shoulder. Cora understood. She gave Marty some space.

The zebra was going through rubble like a striped, black-and-white bulldozer.

His friends watched silently.

Kowalski suddenly spoke up, "Sir! The sun is going down. We're running out of time."

The squirrels, who had been silent the entire time, looked curiously at Kowalski.

"Running out of time?" Robert asked, "Kindly elaborate."

"Guys! I found him!" Marty yelled from the darkness. Everyone rushed down the stairs. Gloria carefully stepped inside. "Marty?" She saw the zebra, not far from the stairway, holding something. 

"Don't worry, Alex." Marty held the paw he'd found tightly, "We're going to get you out of here! Just hang on!"

Gloria's silhouette came closer, "Where is he?"

She felt around, finding the limp paw that Marty was holding. She followed it down to a particularly huge piece of concrete.

"Marty, honey, it doesn't look good," she said.

Marty's eyes glowed green in the flickering light of the dying flames, "Glo, I've got to try." Desperation and dedication chased the hopelessness across his face.

Gloria nodded, "Okay, Marty. I'm going to try to move it." She managed to get a grip on it, then lifted with all her strength. Marty helped. So did Melman, the penguins, and Cora, whom Marty hadn't noticed enter the station.

The slab flipped out of the way. Alex's battered body lay barely visible in the red shadows.

Marty was the first one to Alex's side, "Alex? Talk to me, man! Please." Marty pleaded with the lifeless form of his friend.

Cora closed her eyes and shuddered. Melman's ears drooped as he sniffled. The penguins stood like four small statues. Tears slipped down Gloria's grayish-pink cheeks.

"Alex? Please, Alex!" Marty whispered.

There was no response from the lion.

"No! You can't die! You never told us why the zebra crossed the road!" Marty cried, "I never finished building your house on Madagascar!"

Gloria moved next to the upset Marty. "Marty, we've got to go," she said with a shaking voice.

Marty cried desperately to Alex, "We're a team! I can't go back without you! I finally found you again! And there's so much left to do together!"

The penguins looked questioningly at Gloria. She made motions with her hands. They nodded and began making their way toward the stairs.

"Cora? Melman?" Gloria said, "You two go ahead, we'll catch up."

Reluctantly, the horse and the giraffe left.

"Marty," Gloria turned to him, "We've got to go back to the boat before we're found by the people."

"You go on." Marty said, "I don't want to go anymore."

Gloria answered, "Yes, you do, Marty. I know it seems like the world is ending, but it's not! What do you think Alex would want you to do?"

Marty sighed. He looked at Alex, then back at Gloria.

Gloria hated the lost, disheartened look that was in Marty's normally bright and happy eyes. She knew that this was very hard for him; it was hard for her as well.

"Okay." Marty said, "you're right, Glo."

Gloria tried to smile at Marty. She was proud of him.

"But could I have a few moments, you know…" Marty gulped.

Gloria patted Marty's shoulder, "Of course. But come soon, okay?"

"Yeah." Marty said.

Gloria left.

Marty sat for a while in silence. Heart heavy, he stared at the lion through the dust. Marty's mind drifted away from the collapsed subway station in New York. He lost himself in memories of Alex.

"Start spreading the news," Marty murmured, "I'm leaving today. We are a great big part of it…" his voice choked.

"Marty?" a weak voice asked.

"Alex?" Marty looked at the form on the ground in surprise. He saw the glint of blue cat eyes shining like sapphire flames. "Al! You're alive!"

Alex tried to move and winced, "I am?"

Marty heard sounds like something was falling from the now-dirt ceiling. "Come on, we've got to get you out of here. Can you get up?"

Alex sat up and looked into the face of his friend. "Marty, I thought I'd never see you again!" the lion cried.

Marty smiled, "Alex, I…" A large dirt clod smacked the zebra on the nose, "Uh oh, we'd better go! Come on, I'll help you!"

Leaning on Marty, Alex stood up. The two made their way to the stairs. Marty helped Alex up the steps.

"Almost there!" Marty gasped. The nap he'd had in the car hadn't made up for the two days he'd spent walking and running, without stopping to eat or rest.

Marty and Alex sat on a step for a second to catch their breaths.

* * *

"I hope he comes soon." Cora said, watching the sun sink towards the buildings on the western horizon. She stood beside the cab, glancing toward the station.

"He will." Gloria said, standing next to the mare.

Melman sat quietly in the open trunk at the back of the car. His eyes were red and his nose was runny, but for once it wasn't because he had a cold.

"Look!" Cora cried.

Everyone looked. They saw Marty helping Alex toward the taxicab.

Alex was alive.

"Alex!"

Once again, the car was vacated. Everyone rushed to Alex's side. They helped the injured lion into the backseat of the cab.

Gloria hugged Marty happily, "I didn't know you could bring the dead back to life!" She teased him, "You go, Marty!"

"I think it was that crazy New York song!" Alex said weakly. He smiled, "I know I've said this before, but thanks for not giving up on me, Marty."

Marty grinned, "You're welcome!"

"Ouch!" Alex winced, trying to position himself in the cab.

Robert and Gwendolyn glanced back from the front seat. Gwendolyn shook her head, "He needs to see a doctor."

"My dad's a doctor." Melman said, "Sort of."

"What?" Gloria, Alex, Marty, and Cora exclaimed.

"Really," Melman nodded, "How do you think I survived childhood?"

"Great," Alex moaned, "I'll bet they went back to the zoo."

"I'll go get them!" Marty took off running for the zoo. Gloria caught his tail before he got too far, "Uh, uh. You are not going anywhere! You're limping." She pointed to the leg that had gotten stuck under the sign, "Let Melman go."

"It's nothing!" Marty protested, "Really, it's-" His hoof twisted under him.

Gloria caught Marty, "Melman, go before we need your dad even more!"

"Okay!" Melman galloped off to the zoo.

Marty started shaking violently. His legs tensed. "Glo, the people! They're coming!" he said.

Gloria put him into the cab with Alex, "You sit tight, okay? I'll deal with the people."

Alex eyed Marty worriedly, "Are you okay?"

"Compared to you, I'm fine." Marty said, rubbing his leg.

"_I _just had a subway station land on my head!" Alex explained, "But what happened to you?" He pointed to the bandages on Marty's hind legs.

Marty looked at them, "They just got scraped on some ice. I'm fine, Alex. Really!" Marty cocked his ear, "What's that sound?"

"Uh, oh." Alex glanced out his window.

A crowd of people was heading for the station!

* * *

Melman walked through the mess of twisted metal and blackened concrete that used to be the Asia Gate. Zookeepers gasped at the giraffe entering the zoo. He was the third one that day! Melman calmly passed them.

Down the path, Melman strolled quickly. His long legs enabled him to cover a lot of distance at a slow gait. He was afraid of going any faster; he might twist an ankle, and then what would his friends do? No, he was on an important mission! And he must not fail! Marty's and Alex's lives might be depending on it!

"Mom! Dad!" Melman called to the two giraffes in the giraffe yard. They looked up. Mimi smiled a little, "Oh, Melman, I'm so happy you've changed your mind!"

Mitchell shook his head, "Those animals you call your friends are too reckless!"

"And we've been so worried about you!" Mimi added.

Melman held up his front hooves, "I didn't come back so I could live here."

"Well," Mitchell eyed his son, "then why did you?"

Melman swayed a little, "I came back because my friends are hurt, and I know you could help them…"

"You expect me to go help them after what just happened?" Mitchell looked amazed, "Two of them were killed!"

"They actually weren't" Melman said, "They survived. But they need your help, now."

"They need my help." Mitchell looked far away, "Someone actually needs me…"

"Mitch?" Mimi looked questioningly at her husband.

Mitchell snapped back to reality, "What seems to be the problem, son?" he asked importantly.

Melman sighed, "Well, um, Alex seems to be the worst off, but that's to be expected since he was the one that the ceiling fell on, and he probably has a concussion and multiple fractures. Marty doesn't seem to be as bad off, but he might have internal injuries that we don't know about…he doesn't tend to complain even when he's hurting, but he was limping when he got out of the station…"

"Say no more! Mitchell Mankowitz will take the case! Cas_es_, that is!" Mitchell announced. He walked toward Melman, then turned back, "Are you coming Mimi, my lovely assistant?"

Mimi nodded and followed him.

Together, to the further astonishment of the zookeepers, the three giraffes marched out of the zoo.

* * *

"Yikes!" Cora jumped into the back of the cab with Alex and Marty as the crowd engulfed the car. The squirrels hopped onto the dashboard. Gloria got into the front seat on the passenger side.

Strangely enough, the crowd didn't seem to notice the cab full of animals. They headed straight for the subway station.

Sirens were heard. Cora peeked out the rear windshield, "Black and whites!" she exclaimed as four police cars arrived, followed by fire trucks and ambulances. The sound of helicopter rotors could be heard over head.

Policemen taped off the stairway to the subway station. Other policemen performed crowd control. News reporters thrust microphones at people.

"This is extremely exciting!" Robert remarked. Gwendolyn nodded.

Gloria eyed the policemen. She glanced at the rapidly setting sun, "As soon as Melman gets back, we're leaving!"

No sooner had she spoken than three giraffe heads appeared over the crowd. The people parted as the three giraffes walked quickly through. None of the people paid any attention to what they were parting for, however. Their attention was on the rescue teams who were searching the subway station rubble.

Gloria rolled down her window as Skipper started the taxi's engine. "Melman! Follow us!" she called to him.

The giraffe nodded.

"Hit the gas, Rico!" Skipper ordered. The cab's tires spun as it sped off; three giraffes were in hot pursuit.

Robert read a sign as it flashed by, "Oh, I doubt very much that we are doing the speed limit."

Alex looked like he might pass out, "I think I'm going to be sick!"

"Hang in there, Alex!" Marty told his best friend.

Cora was still looking out the rear windshield, "Good thing there's a doctor chasing us!"

"Look out!" Gloria cried as a lamppost grazed the rear-view mirror on her side.

"Sorry, Doll," Skipper apologized, "but the cab's more loaded down than it was last time."

"Oh, my." Alex closed his eyes, "Will someone please tranquilize me?"

The car went over a huge bump.

Cora turned around, "We're at the river already?"

"What's Melman saying?" Gloria peered at her scratched rear-view mirror.

Cora went back to watching out the rear windshield. She watched the giraffe's lips move. Whatever he was saying, it was urgent, judging from the look on his face. Cora tried to make it out, "It looks like…two? No, burn…wait…turn! Yes, that's it! Turn!" She turned around and glanced out the front windshield. "Ahhh! Turn!" she yelled.

Gloria, Marty, and the squirrels looked. They all screamed as the bank of the Harlem River rapidly approached them.


	18. Perfect Getaway

"Rico! Brake!" Skipper ordered. The car sped up. "No! The brake! The other one!"

Skipper spun the wheel as Rico pushed down on the brake. The car did a tight 180 degree turn and swerved back onto the road just in time, throwing everyone in the backseat up against Alex, and Alex up against his window.

"Ow!" Alex cried, rubbing his head where it had struck the glass.

"Watch it!" Marty cried to Skipper.

Alex closed his eyes, "_I_ can't watch!"

Skipper dodged traffic as the giraffes tried hard to keep up. The cab flew onto the bridge and sped across. Soon, it was careening down Madison.

"We're back in Manhattan!" Cora sighed, "Thank goodness!"

Lights and sirens appeared behind them.

"Oh, no!" Marty said, "now the cops are after us!"

Cora nodded, "They want us to pull over!"

"Good going, Skippy." Alex groaned.

"Don't call me 'Skippy'." Skipper said sternly, "Rico! Step on it!"

The car screeched to a halt. The giraffes ran onto a sidewalk beside the cab.

"The gas, Rico! The gas!" Skipper ordered.

The car took off again, nearly avoiding being rear-ended by police cars.

"The giraffes are having a hard time keeping up!" Cora observed, seeing the trio of tall mammals trying to quickly negotiate canopies, mail boxes, and people while running down the sidewalk.

Three large thumps rocked the cab. Twelve cloven hooves appeared clinging to the sides of the cab. The giraffes had jumped on!

Skipper struggled for control of the yellow missile that he was now driving. "Hold on troops, the ride just got rougher!"

Marty watched Central Park go whizzing by out his window.

"Farewell to you, my home!" Robert said dramatically.

"We are really booking!" Marty realized as the Metropolitan Museum of Art flew past.

"I see the zoo." Alex said weakly, opening his eyes for a few moments.

The zoo zipped past. "There it goes," said Marty.

"Good riddance!" Cora mumbled.

Alex almost smiled, "You said it! Whoah!"

The cab swung hard into aright turn. The police cars slid around the corner behind the cab.

"Are we going to successfully accomplish our goal?" Gwendolyn asked worriedly.

"We still have a nearly full tank of gas." Kowalski reported.

Cora nodded, "And the boat is docked just ahead."

The yellow taxi cab led the chase down 57th street, weaving and dodging traffic, and keeping the police cars at a distance.

_Bump! _The cab flung itself over a set of train tracks.

"I hope Melman's okay up there." Gloria said. She looked at the hooves still holding fast to the car.

"There it is! That's the highway!" Cora cried.

Skipper turned the cab left onto a side street, drove down a ways, then swung it right again. In what seemed like endless turning, spinning, and squealing of tires, the cab finally stopped at the dock. Animals piled out of it.

Robert jumped out, "I never imagined that I would be so exuberant to be on the soil!"

"Ohh, my head!" Melman held his head as he climbed off the car.

Mimi joined him, "Poor baby!" she said soothingly.

Marty helped Alex out of the car, "Alex? You okay?"

Alex nodded, "I think so…oh, ow."

The police cars zoomed past the dock with lights flashing and sirens wailing.

"It won't take them long to figure out where we went. Quick, everyone! To the boat and up the ladder!" Gloria called.

The penguins waddled quickly to the big boat with the bamboo ladder. They swiftly climbed the ladder to the boat.

The squirrels looked at the ladder. Robert turned to Gwendolyn, "We are about to embark on an epic journey! Are you ready, Dearest?"

"I am prepared to go anywhere with you, my handsome husband!" Gwendolyn smiled adoringly at Robert as he held her hand so she could step onto the ladder. Together, they scampered up.

Mimi and Mitchell looked worriedly at the ladder. "Do you think it's safe? It looks like it was built by wild animals!" Mitchell asked Mimi.

"It was." Melman answered, "It was built by my friends! And it _is _safe!" To demonstrate, he climbed determinedly to the top. When he looked down at his parents, he smiled, "I did it! I conquered heights!" He danced around on the deck of the boat as his parents climbed up after him.

Mimi looked at Mitchell, "I hope he doesn't get too excited! He has high blood pressure!"

Mitchell rolled his eyes, "Mimi, _all _giraffes have high blood pressure!"

Cora and Marty helped Alex to where Gloria held the base of the ladder. Marty stumbled once, but caught himself, wincing.

Cora and Alex looked at Marty. Alex frowned, "Is your leg bothering you?"

Marty nodded, "It's okay, I think."

"What happened to your leg?" Cora asked Marty, concern in her blue eyes.

Marty sighed, "I'll tell you later."

They reached Gloria and the ladder just as the police cars pulled up near the cab. The policemen hopped out, inspected the cab, then noticed the animals trying to get into the cargo ship.

Alex caught hold of the ladder and tried to climb up, "Aggh! Ow…" he gritted his teeth and climbed up, "I should have gone last, guys! I'll slow you all down!"

Gloria's voice came from behind him, "You're doing great, Alex! Keep going!"

Alex pulled himself painfully up the ladder rungs. He stopped to catch his breath.

"Hang on, Alex!" Mitchell called. The giraffes reached down their long necks and helped him the rest of the way up to the deck.

Gloria climbed up remarkably fast, followed by Cora.

"Come on, Marty!" Cora called to the zebra. Marty grabbed the ladder and stepped onto it. He cringed when he put his weight onto his injured leg. He climbed on. He was a fourth of the way up. Then a third of the way. Then halfway.

"Halt!" a policeman said into a megaphone.

Other policemen were coming up the ladder after Marty! He looked down and climbed faster, missing a rung.

"Ahh!" Marty hung on with his front hooves.

His friends watched in horror, helpless to assist him.

"Marty!" Cora cried, "Hang on tight! It's not much further now, you can do it!"

The policemen were getting closer every second. One was close enough to touch Marty. He reached out to grab the zebra's leg. Something sticky hit the man in the face. "Huh?" he said, scraping white goo off of his chin.

"Rico! More marshmallows!" Skipper ordered. Rico gulped down an entire bag. Skipper picked him up and used him like a machine gun to fire the white gooey candy at the policemen who were trying to stop Marty.

"This doesn't work as well as peppermints." Skipper mused, watching the bewildered policemen weathering the rain of marshmallows. "Private, make a note! From now on, we stick to hard candy!"

Private made a note.

Marty finally got his balance and scrambled up the ladder. He grabbed the boat and pulled himself up.

Skipper turned to the cabin and yelled, "Kowalski! Full throttle!"

The boat lurched suddenly, pulling away from the dock. The ladder fell over, spilling policemen into the water.

Skipper grinned at the skyscrapers that were now getting farther and farther away, "Operation Perfect Getaway was a success!"

"This 'Madagascar', what is it like?" Robert asked Mitchell.

Mitchell replied, "Well, I've never actually been there, but my son tells me it is an island with white sandy beaches, palm trees, an ocean view, plenty of fruit to eat, and it is warm there."

Robert nodded, "Sounds like the 'perfect getaway' to me."

* * *

Alex watched from the back of the ship as New York got smaller and smaller.

Marty approached him, "I see you've already seen Dr. Mitchell Mankowitz." Marty gestured to his properly bandaged legs, "I just got done with him." Marty came up beside Alex, "How are you holding up?"

The lion was wearing bandages on his front left paw, around his middle, and on his tail. His mane was still dusty, but otherwise, he looked like himself again after the ordeal.

Alex looked seriously at Marty, "Gloria told me what happened. If it weren't for you, I'd still be back in that subway station. Or worse." Alex smiled, "I really owe you one, buddy."

"Come on, Alex." Marty said, "Remember the poachers? Now we're even!"

The two friends sat together in silence, watching the sunset over the ocean. Everything was very calm and peaceful in comparison to the days they'd just experienced in New York.

"Marty! Alex!" Cora stuck her head out of the cabin, "You guys have _got_ to come see this!"

Alex and Marty smiled and limped to the cabin.

"We're quite a pair, aren't we?" Alex joked.

They joined Cora in the cabin. To their surprise, everyone else was already inside, gathered around a T.V. set!

"Mitchell didn't want to miss the last episode of his favorite T.V. show," Cora said by way of explanation, "And the penguins wanted something to do, so they got this old thing working, and look what's on!"

The T.V. was tuned to a New York news channel. An anchorwoman was on the screen, saying something about a car chase through Manhattan.

Marty recognized the woman, "Hey, Alex, that's that same person who said that New York missed you!"

Alex snorted, "I wonder how much she was paid to say that."

"Would you two be quiet and listen?" Cora hissed.

"…but so far, the car thieves have not been found." The anchorwoman said, "The policemen involved claimed that the cab was driven by zoo animals, who at the conclusion of the chase, left the scene in a cargo ship identical to the one now being dubbed the 'lost ark'. The ship was lost on the way to Kenya, Africa last month under mysterious circumstances. There is no evidence to support any claims that it recently reappeared in Manhattan. However, many zoo animal sightings in Manhattan have been reported since the chase."

The newsroom was replaced by Central Park. A man stood in front of a hot dog cart. A microphone appeared at the bottom of the screen. The man looked distraught, "I was selling hot dogs yesterday morning, and I dropped the mustard! Then two black and white animals, I think zebras, jumped out of the bushes, grabbed my strings of sausages, and ran off into the park! They didn't pay for them or anything! Just like that!"

The newsroom reappeared. The anchorwoman kept talking, "Other witnesses think they saw zoo animals in Macy's, in the subways, and even walking down the street wearing clothes!" The woman looked seriously at the camera, "Psychologists say that these 'sightings' may be due to citywide concern for the Central Park Zoo's animals lost at sea, and more recently, the disappearance of several of the Bronx Zoo's giraffes. These sightings should not be permanent. If you experience any sightings of zoo animals, the New York City Emergency Response team asks that you do _not_ call 911."

By this time, Marty, Alex, Gloria, Melman, and Cora were all holding back giggles.

The woman moved to the next story, "The collapse of the Eastern Fordham Road subway station near the Bronx Zoo yesterday shocked and horrified the city. The cause was determined to be a minor glitch in the scheduling computer, leading to a collision of two trains inside the station. Fortunately, and bizarrely, the trains and station were empty at the time of the accident. No injuries due to the collision and subsequent collapse have been reported."

"They weren't quite empty." Marty looked at Alex.

Alex rubbed his sore left paw, "I guess we forgot to report it."

"In the international news this evening, an arrest has been made of a group of poachers who have been at large for years. Their success at evading the law can be measured in the large number of skins and live animals found in their ship's hold. Their luck and trading operation came to an end when their ship ran aground off Mozambique yesterday. The men were found trapped in their own cabin by a crate containing their leader. When questioned as to how this came to be, one man said that it was monsters. The others refused to give any details of the events. The men were discovered to be smuggling an illegal substance on their ship in the form of beer. They were arrested on site by the local authorities on the grounds of cruelty to animals, illegal smuggling, underground trade, evading multiple arrests, and other crimes too numerous to list."

"Yeah, like assault!" Cora said.

"And attempted murder!" Melman added.

The newswoman continued, "When we return, the sailors from the 'Lost Ark' will describe their experience during the last few hours they were on the boat. They claim to have been hijacked by penguins! Stay tuned for more."

The news station's music played, and a commercial for a 24-hour coffee shop came on.

"Wow." Cora giggled, "Hijacked by penguins? Those humans must be crazy!"

Alex grinned, "Really! And why would a couple of _zebras _steal sausages?"

"What was that she said about Macy's?" Marty wondered, "I don't remember going shopping!"

The penguins shifted their feet and looked innocently all around the room.

Alex sighed, "Good trip!"

"You're kidding, right?" Gloria looked pointedly at Alex's bandages.

"No, not really." Alex said, "well, it had its rough spots, but hey, all's well that ends well. And I learned that there is no place like home."

Melman looked at Alex, "So, where did you decide that home was?"

"Maybe he means that there's _no _place like home." Cora offered.

"Nope!" Alex shook his head, grinning, "I really meant that there is only _one _place like home for me. And we're headed to it!"

* * *

"Julien, face it. Those crazy critters aren't coming back." Maurice walked up to the king lemur.

Julien gave Maurice a condescending look, "Do not question the king, Maurice! They said they'd come, and so I will keep keeping their homes ready for them." Julien sat back against his throne and watched as his loyal subjects performed housekeeping duties for Marty's, Melman's and Gloria's huts. Two lemurs fanned him with palm fronds, while another gave him a manicure.

Maurice shook his head, "Keeping homes ready is one thing, Julien. But _building _them?" He pointed to a construction effort not far from Marty's hut.

Julien nodded, "There are more than three of them, Maurice." He pointed out, "I want them to be comfortable when they come back. It is all part of my brilliant plan!"

"And what plan is that?" Maurice asked skeptically.

Julien looked excited, "We make them all very happy when they come and visit us. And then they decide not to go back to their New York, and stay with us instead forever!"

He waved his hand dismissively at Maurice, who was shaking his head. Julien said, "Now shoo. All this working and I must take a break."

Maurice sighed and walked away.

King Julien called to some lemurs, "You! And you! Do you want the great honor of rubbing the king's feet?"

* * *

"Dear, pass the finger sandwiches." Robert asked his wife. The squirrels had been treating the ship voyage as their own personal cruise. They were perfectly content.

But not everyone was. Marty, Alex, Cora, Gloria, and Melman stood on the deck of the boat. The five friends watched the horizon, semi-boredly.

"The penguins said we'd pass Florida today." Melman said, trying to start a conversation.

"Yeah." The other four animals chorused unenthusiastically.

Melman shrugged, "I guess I'll join my parents…"

"What are they doing?" Alex asked disinterestedly.

"Shnzzz." Melman replied, falling asleep before he reached the spot where his parents were napping.

Marty looked at Melman, "I wish I could sleep. But I'm all slept out."

"I know what you mean." Cora agreed, "Sleeping beats boredom."

The four friends who remained awake sighed together.

"I wonder what George is doing right now?" Alex wondered out loud.


	19. Memories

George, as it happened, was asleep at that particular moment. He was having a nightmare…one he hadn't had in a long time. The big lion lay on his rock, twitching and grunting, returning in his mind to an event that would forever haunt him. George's encounter with Alex had caused painful memories to resurface.

_It was dark and cloudy. The zoo was empty of people. The sound of raspy breathing hung heavy in the air. Inevitability settled around two struggling figures. _

_George looked up into the fiery brown eyes above him. They were so much like his own, and seemed to burn a hole in his heart. They were the eyes of his son. _

_His son, who had finally risen up against him. _

_Lying on his back, George could see the fury in the face of the younger lion standing over him. He tasted blood in his mouth and felt a trickle from his nose. And for the first time ever, he knew defeat. _

_Or was it the first time?_

_Like a bad movie, the events of the past played relentlessly out._

_George knew he was running. He was confused and angry. How could his own son do this to him? It couldn't have been avoided; it was the natural course of things for a son of a lion to challenge his father. But the son wasn't supposed to win. Not this time! The weak was the one who lost. _

_"I am _not _weak!" George roared. He saw moving shapes ahead of him. Gazelles. _

_Something clicked in George's mind. It told him to stop before it was too late. Stubbornly, George ignored it. He ran faster. _

_The gazelles saw George running at them and scattered. All but one, who struggled to stand his ground. "George! What's wrong? What happened to you?Are you okay?" _

_It was Jeenko. _

_Then George remembered._

_But it was too late._

_Hunger and frustration took over. "Do I look okay?" George heard himself snarl as he launched himself into the air at his friend. His claws were extended and his teeth were bared. Jeenko looked terrified. The gazelle screamed and ran for his life, but George caught him. _

_Then George split into two lions. One in midair, and one sitting a short distance away._

_He watched his younger self attack his best friend._

_"NO!" George cried. _

_The young George didn't listen. _

_George ran up and tackled his other self, causing him to lose his grip on Jeenko. The gazelle collapsed, sides heaving, into the dry brown grass. _

_The two Georges glared at each other. "How dare you interfere with my life, old man? My business is MY business!" the younger George growled. _

_"It's also MY business!" George snapped back. He positioned himself between the younger George and the injured gazelle. _

_The younger George narrowed his eyes, "Get out of my way!"_

_"No." George said, "I won't."_

_"Fine, have it your way!" younger George lunged at George. George rose up to meet him. The two lions fought, one savagely, one determinedly. Both of them swiped and snapped, punched, kicked, defended, and attacked. They seemed to be at an impasse._

_Then George stopped. He sat absolutely still. _

_Younger George stared, "What are you doing? Foolish of you! I could destroy you now!" _

_George closed his eyes sadly. This had gone on too long. Far too long. "Go ahead, then." George said, "I can't stand the fighting." _

_The younger lion paced in front of the older. He tried to pounce on older George several times, but both times, he stopped himself. Finally, the younger George sat down and looked at the older one. Gone was the savage look from his face. It was replaced by bewilderment and amazement._

_"I can't do it!" younger George cried, "I don't even think I really want to!" _

_"I know," George said, "It's okay."_

_Younger George saw Jeenko on the ground behind George and looked miserable. "Did I really try to kill Jeenko?" _

_The gazelle stood up and walked to them, "Yes, you did." His sandy coat was torn and bleeding. He limped as he walked. _

_George's eyes teared up at the sight of his old friend, "Jeenko, How could he do that to you?" _

_Jeenko looked at George, "He's you, George. You did this. As hard as it is to accept, that lion over there is you, and will always be a part of you." _

_George looked down, "I don't want him to be, Jeenko. If it weren't for him, we'd still be together." _

_"Maybe," Jeenko replied, "Maybe not. But while we were together, we had the most fun of our lives, didn't we?" _

_"I don't remember!" George realized with a start._

_"I do." Younger George said, "Like when we fooled that keeper into leaving the gate open so we could sneak into the heated giraffe house one winter! Or when we stayed up all night so that we'd be sleepy and boring when the zoo guests saw us!" _

_"Exactly!" Jeenko answered, grinning. _

_George smiled faintly, "I'd forgotten about that." _

_Jeenko nodded," I know, you tried to forget everything that we did together because it hurt too much. You tried to forget me." _

_"And me." Younger George added._

_George looked up at the two of them, "I couldn't forgive myself…"_

_"But you need to!" Jeenko interrupted him, "You've been hurting all this time because you miss me! Well, I'm still here, and I always have been! A part of me still lives inside of you…in your memories. Just remember me, and I'll never leave you!" _

_"I…I can't remember you!" George cried, a tear slipping down his cheek. Rain suddenly poured down from the dark sky and fell all around the grieving lion. He cleared his throat ineffectively, "All I can see is you lying there, nearly dead, and me…with your blood on my claws!" _

_Younger George looked strangely calm and peaceful. Sunlight streamed down in front of him, making a path in the dark wetness. The younger lion looked pleadingly at the older one, "Forgive me! Please! I can help you remember! I can help you keep Jeenko alive in your heart, but you have to accept me as a part of you. A part of your past! George, it's too late for me to learn from you. You can't change what happened. But maybe you can learn from me. From my mistakes. From my thoughts and dreams. You could learn how to be happy again, like you were before the fight with our son." _

_George sat in the rainy darkness. He looked at his former self. Younger George was sitting in a grassy meadow. Jeenko stepped up to join him in the sunny world. The gazelle's wounds disappeared. _

_Jeenko smiled down at George, "Do you remember me like this?" The gazelle looked happy and trusting. _

_Not frightened and hurt. _

_Not dead. _

_George took a tentative step toward the sunny meadow, "I want to…can I?" _

_Jeenko nodded, "The memories are still there, George. Stop shutting them away!" _

_George blinked, "I'm not sure I can do it. I…I'm weak." _

_Young George frowned, "No, you are not!" _

_George looked surprised, "You know, you're right!" He bounded up the sunbeams and into the meadow. The two Georges merged. _

_"You did it!" a voice said. George realized that _he _was the one talking! "I did it! We did it!" he looked happily at Jeenko, "Thanks for helping me." _

_Jeenko shrugged, "It was in you to find this peace all this time. But until you met Alex, you weren't looking for it."_

_George sighed blissfully as he sank into the grassy meadow. He thought he saw his younger self lay down first, and he smiled, "None of that! From now on, we do everything together, at the same time! We are one!" _

_"Remember me." Jeenko said as George felt himself fading out. _

_"I will." George promised. _

He woke up and carefully stepped over his sleeping lionesses. George walked to his favorite place overlooking the gazelle yard.

And he remembered.


	20. The Punch Line

"Land ho!" Robert yelled from his vantage point on top of the ship's cabin. Gwendolyn excitedly clasped her paws. She could see a green island ahead, lined with a sandy beach. She felt the warm sun on her soft fur. And she smiled.

_Honnnnnk! _Skipper pulled the boat's horn.

Mitchell and Melman stopped their conversation about health care. Mimi woke up. Gloria and Cora set down the fruit they were eating. Alex left the washroom where he was trying to clean his dirty mane. Marty excused himself from the penguins, who had been showing him how to drive the boat.

All of them went to the front of the boat. Melman smiled, "Hey, look! The fuzzy things are coming out to meet us!"

Alex squinted, "Not all of us can see as well as you can, Melman." He said. As the boat drew closer to the island, he could see little black dots congregating on the white beach.

"Yay!" Cora and Marty danced around. They were soon joined by Gloria, Melman, and Alex.

Mitchell put a front leg around Mimi, "We're almost to our new home, dear."

Mimi smiled back at him, "I wonder what color our curtains will be!"

Everyone fell to the deck as the boat beached itself once again on the island of Madagascar.

"Ow!" Alex cried when he accidentally tried to pick himself up with his left paw. He stood up and peered over the railing. Lemurs rushed over to the ship, and it seemed that the big boat was surrounded by a sea of fur. "Hi, little fuzzbuckets!" Alex called to them.

In the treeline, King Julien turned to Maurice, "I tolded you they'd be back. Now don't you think you should have listened to the king?" He climbed into a chair on poles. Four lemurs lifted the chair by the poles and carried it out to the beach. Maurice followed.

The lemurs wheeled a large staircase to the boat. Alex, Gloria, Melman, and Marty stepped off. The lemurs cheered. Then Cora, the Mankowitzes and the squirrels descended, followed by the penguins. All of the animals were received with as warm a welcome as lemurs can give.

The crowd of lemurs parted, and King Julien rode up in his chair. Even way up in his chair, his head only came to Alex's whiskers. The lemurs set the chair down.

"Be quiet! Shut up, everyone!" Julien tried to shout. He looked down at his right-hand lemur, "Maurice…"

Maurice loudly said, "KING JULIEN WISHES TO SPEAK!"

"Thank you." Julien said as a hush fell over the crowd. He addressed the Zoosters, "Now, it has being a while since you all went here last time. But we did keeping all your homes clean and tidy for you. And, we want to present you with a gift. So come on, if you are wanting to see it!" He looked the Mankowitzes and the squirrels over, "You can come too."

He motioned for his chair-carriers to once again do their job. The lemur in the chair led the entire crowd, plus a bunch of zoo animals and a couple of squirrels, down the beach. They passed Melman's hut, then Gloria's hut, then Marty's hut. A few yards away from Marty's hut, a new hut stood. It was made of mud-and-sand bricks, and boulders. It had two palm-trunk pillars holding up a porch, and a second-story balcony. A large flat boulder sat just in front of the hut, in a spot where the sun would always warm it. Beside the hut, a pool of fresh water lay in the shade, a lawn chair next to it, and a small round table.

Alex heard a gasp from somewhere behind him. He turned to see Marty's mouth hanging open. The zebra was staring at the hut. "What is it, Marty?"

Marty shook his head, "How did it…how did they…"

"We found the plans to this lovely abode in that hut over there." Julien pointed to Marty's place, "And we thought it would be fun to build it for you. Do you like it?" Marty stared.

"Well, it's not my style…" Melman admitted, "but it's nice enough."

Gloria nodded, "Melman, we've already got houses. I think this one's for Alex."

Alex smiled, "Well, I love it! Thanks, fuzzbuckets! Wow, it's like you knew exactly what I'd want in a house!"

Julien shrugged, "I can't be taking all the credit. Someone else designed it. I was the one who did the putting it together." The lemur scanned the crowd, "Which one of you was the one of you that designed the hut?"

"I think I know." Alex smiled, "It had to be someone who knew me better than anyone else."

Julien grinned, "Good job, Mr. Alex! I didn't know you designed huts!"

"Not me!" Alex laughed, "Marty!"

"Oh," Julien said, "Sorry, my mistake."

Marty nodded, "You're right, it was me. I forgot I left those plans in my hut!"

"I'm glad you did!" Alex walked up onto the porch, "I mean, look at this place! It's fit for a king!"

"Hmm," Julien stroked his chin, "Maybe I should build a house for me that you were the one who designed, Striped Freak."

"Come on up here, guys! Come and see this place!" Alex walked in the front doorway. Marty, Melman, and Gloria joined him. Cora watched them all go inside, a bit wistfully.

Alex's head reappeared in the doorway, "Cora? Are you coming?"

"Yippee!" Cora grinned and galloped into the fancy hut.

The squirrels watched. Robert turned to Gwendolyn, "Gwendolyn, my darling, shall we observe our new residence?"

Gwendolyn smiled as the two squirrels disappeared into the woods in search of the perfect tree.

"What about you, Mimi?" Mitchell looked at his wife, "Where do you want to live?"

Mimi smiled, "Someplace quiet, far away from all of the hubbub."

"We know just the place." Skipper said, startling the giraffes, "Follow us!" The four penguins led the giraffes down the path that had been made to bring gasoline to the boat.

* * *

That evening, Alex, Marty, Cora, Melman, and Gloria were all sitting around a fire in Marty's hut. They all had cups of fresh fruit juice and were laughing, reminiscing about the events of the past few days.

Cora smiled, "Well, I learned that dreams aren't always what they're cracked up to be."

"Hear, hear!" Alex raised his coconut cup.

Marty looked confused, "How did you learn that?"

"Well," Cora said, "Remember how I told you that I wanted my own stall? I had one for a very short time in New York. But when I was there, all I could think about was finding you guys again."

"Same goes for me." Alex nodded, "Except that I wasn't in a stall. I went to New York, but it was horrible when I didn't have all of you there with me."

Marty looked down, "Sometimes it was bad when you _did_ have us with you."

Everyone was silent for a few moments.

"So," Melman said, "why did the zebra cross the road?"

"Yeah, why did he, Alex?" Gloria asked.

Marty raised his eyebrows, We have been waiting a long time for the punch line to that joke, Al."

"Did I miss something?" Cora asked.

"You walked in just when Alex was about to tell us the joke." Gloria explained, "That was back the first time we all met you."

"Oh," Cora looked around sheepishly, "sorry!"

"It's ok, he can tell us now." Gloria nodded at Alex, "Tell us, Alex."

"Ok, ok, ok! I'll tell the joke!" Alex smiled.

"The one we've all been waiting for!" Marty added.

"Ok," Alex took a breath, "Why did the zebra cross the road?"

Melman, swallowing some of his juice, interrupted, "Marty, are you _sure _that this is pineapple juice? Because I taste a melon-ish flavor. Does anyone else taste a melon-ish flavor?"

"MELMAN!" Gloria, Alex, Marty, and Cora yelled.

"All right! All right!" Melman defended, "I was just wondering!"

Alex shook his head, smiling. He tried again, "Why did the zebra cross the-"

"Good evening New York Giants!" a voice said from outside.

"AGhh!" Alex cried, "Will I _ever _get to tell this joke?"

Marty answered the door.

King Julien grinned up at him, "Can we come in? Or perhaps better, can you come out here?"

Marty looked back at the others. They shrugged.

"Sure." Marty told Julien. Alex, Melman, Gloria, Cora, and Marty went out to the beach.

Julien looked excited, "Sorry for us to be interrupting your party, but I could not wait any longer!"

"For what?" Marty asked.

The king lemur cleared his throat, "While you all were gone away, I wrote a little song about my home, like Mr. Alex suggested. It is not all the way finished totally, but it is started. And I thought you freaks might like to be writing your own verses to this wonderful song." He turned to a bunch of lemurs with musical instruments, "Alright, let's make some sound!" He stood on a makeshift stage.

He started singing,

"This island's run by King Julien (that's me)

And we have lots of fun

We'll party from when the sun comes up

Until the day is done

Here on

Madagascar, where the sea meets skies of blue

Madagascar, where your deepest dreams come true

Madagascar, every room has got a view

Madagascar, it's waiting here for you."

The music played for a while as Julien motioned to the Zoosters and Cora. Alex stepped up onto the stage to sing,

"When you think the world is just too rough,

Leave it all behind."

Marty jumped in,

"When your dreams just aren't real enough

Come here to clear your mind!"

They both sang,

"Come to

Madagascar, where the sea meets skies of blue

Madagascar, where your deepest dreams come true

Madagascar, every room has got a view

Madagascar, it's waiting here for you."

Cora shyly walked up next to Alex and Marty,

"When you've lost your faith in the life you lead

And you need a second chance

This place may be what you need

To help you learn to dance!"

Gloria and Melman got onto the stage. They all sang together,

"Madagascar, where the sea meets skies of blue

Madagascar, where your deepest dreams come true

Madagascar, every room has got a view

Madagascar, it's waiting here for you!"

"Everybody!" Julien said, even though everybody was already singing.

"Madagascar, it's waiting here for you!" the animals sang.

"One more time now!" King Julien cried.

"It's waiting here for you!"

* * *

"To get to the other stripe!" Alex finally finished his joke, to the good-natured groans of his friends.

"Aww, we waited all that time for that?" Marty teased.

"I can't believe it." Cora sighed.

Alex frowned, "Actually, I thought it was pretty good."

Cora looked up, "Oh, no, not the joke! I meant this!" She gestured to the hut they were all sitting in, "I live on a tropical island, with the best friends a gal could have! And I don't have to be afraid for my life anymore. Thanks so much, you guys!" She looked shyly at Alex, "And I'm sorry I treated you so weird when we first met. I just…didn't trust you. And I should have. Marty said you were okay, and he was more than right…I just didn't know, you know?"

Alex smiled warmly, "It's ok, I wasn't too nice to you, either, and I'm sorry." He remembered something, "Oh! That reminds me! I forgot to tell you guys, but something really big happened while I was in New York!"

Marty looked at Alex strangely, "A lot of somethings happened, Al."

"Yeah, you got hit on the head with a subway station." Melman said seriously.

Alex shook his head, "Before that! When I was at the Bronx Zoo, I met this lion. He told me how to help my problem, you know, when I'm hungry!"

"That's great!" Melman grinned.

"I'm so happy for you, Alex!" Gloria beamed, "I know that's been really hard on you. Both of you." She looked at Marty.

Marty sighed happily, "Congratulations, Alex!"

Alex leaned back on Marty's sand couch, "It doesn't get any better than this!"

"That's what you said that night at the zoo before I broke out." Marty pointed out.

"Yeah?" Alex cocked his head, "Well, I was wrong."

Marty looked around at all his friends, his eyes resting on Cora, "Cora, you remember when we first met and you asked me if I had a herd?"

Cora nodded, "I remember. You said that you didn't have one."

Marty smiled, "I was wrong about that. I have all the herd I could ever need, right here!"

Alex smiled and lifted his coconut of juice, "To friendship." He said, proposing a toast.

The others raised their cups, "To friendship!"

Melman yawned, "I guess I better go home now. It's getting late." He stood up, set his coconut cup on the counter, and turned to leave, Goodnight everyone." He left the hut.

Gloria nodded to Cora, "Guess we'd better get going, too. Night Alex, night Marty."

"Night Glo, night Cora!" Alex and Marty said together.

When the girls had left, Alex set his cup on Marty's counter and got comfortable on the sand couch.

"You sure you don't want to sleep at your place tonight?" Marty asked his friend.

Alex smiled, "I've got my whole life to enjoy that hut, Marty. Tonight, I want to be in here."

"Okay," Marty shrugged, "That's fine with me!"

The zebra flopped into his hammock, "Man, I am exhausted! And all I did today was enjoy myself!"

"Me too." Alex agreed.

There was a long silence where each thought that the other was asleep.

Alex whispered, "Marty, you know I made that answer up, right?"

"Huh?" Marty mumbled.

"To the joke." Alex whispered, "I made that answer up. That's not the real answer."

"What is the real answer?" Marty asked quietly.

"To get to the Bronx Zoo to find his friends." Alex replied.

Marty smiled, "Goodnight Alex."

Soft snoring came from the hammock.

A twitch of a smile moved the corners of Alex's mouth as he watched his best friend sleeping in the no-longer-empty hammock.

"Goodnight, Marty."


End file.
